


White Riding Hood

by Werewolf714



Series: Trust, Love, Betrayal. AU. [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Drama & Romance, Good path, Grief/Mourning, Gunshot Wounds, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm probably missing things, Implied Sexual Content, Major Character Injury, Memory Loss, Minor Character Death, Minor Original Character(s), Multi, Near Death, Referenced Suicide Attempt, Rosewick - Freeform, Time Skips, Vignette, reform team CRDL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-05-14 10:43:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 51,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19271626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Werewolf714/pseuds/Werewolf714
Summary: (Good continuation of Trust Love Betrayal) Turning down Cinder's task, Ruby returns to Beacon under a new identity. During her time there, she must whip her new team into shape as respectable Hunters while the threat of war looms over Vale. (Rosewick, with multiple other ships in reference)





	1. Good

**Author's Note:**

> Stop! This story is a continuation of Trust Love Betrayal. If you have not read the aforementioned fic you need to before reading this or nothing will make any sense whatsoever.
> 
> Warning: Severe wounds.

"If you are on our side then how about this - you take a job from me. If you do it, I'll consider you a loyal friend." Cinder said simply.

"What kind of job?" Ruby asked.

"I need you to kill someone." Cinder said with a wicked smile.

"What?" Ruby asked, surprised. "No... Give me something else."

Cinder arched her brow. "No. You will kill the person I need removed."

"She doesn't have to kill anyone. That was never in the agreement and I won't force her." Roman said protectively.

"How dare you!" Cinder snarled, turning her attention back to Roman. "You have failed and caused me trouble for the last time!"

Cinder gathered her dust fire and launched a fireball at close range at Roman.

Ruby saw it about to happen and then suddenly the world around her froze, she ran to block the hit, to protect Roman. She took the full force of the roaring flames, searing her skin and burning her flesh. Ruby felt like she was being cooked alive. The force of the blow sent her temporarily to her knees but she stood quickly, on her feet before the light completely faded.

Time returned to normal around her.

Roman had been expecting to be dead, yet he found himself unharmed and when the flash ended he saw why. Roman's blood ran cold when he realized Ruby had taken the hit. Just as he thought she would fall, Ruby stood strong, clothes smoldering and burnt. She was shaky, but she was up.

"Is that all you got? Yang hits harder than you." Ruby said, drowning out the pain and just focused on staying on her feet.

In that moment Roman felt like a weight lifted off his shoulders. His fear of Ruby diminished, replaced only with a deep respect and appreciation for her and that gave him a sense of relief. He was still worried about her, though. That was a lot of damage for one person to take.

"You're a lot stronger than you look." Cinder admitted.

"Tsk.." Ruby spat, her vision blurred but she refused to fall.

"It wouldn't take much to finish her off.." Mercury grinned, moving to knock her down.

Roman intercepted. "Leave her alone."

"Ooo I'm so scared." Mercury taunted.

"That's enough." Cinder said clearly. "We have things to do. I will contact you later Roman."

Mercury didn't turn his back on Roman till he was well away from him.

Once they were gone Roman turned back to Ruby.

She was still standing, wobbly and smoldering.

"Let's go." he said, reaching for her.

She didn't really remember the trip home, the blinking green lights of the tech inside his car, glimpses of the sky as he carried her up the stairs of the apartments, then finding herself sitting on the bathroom counter again.

Roman was carefully removing bits of charred clothing and putting a white cream on her burns. It was helping to dull the pain but she knew the damage was bad.

"Red... I need to get you to the hospital... This would have killed any normal person... Would have killed me." Roman was saying.

"I'd do it again." Ruby said, her voice harder to use then she thought.

Roman paused, glancing up at her. "What?"

"I'd do it again." She repeated.

Roman stood straight and leaned in, gently reaching a hand up to trace the side of her face and cradle it. Then, he kissed her.

She tensed at first, surprised, then relaxed and kissed back.

When he leaned away again she got a look in his eyes. He was worried, but not afraid.

She smiled at him. "I'll be ok.. I promise."

Roman was watching her and was about to nod his agreement when suddenly her eyes rolled back and she started to fall.

He caught her, cursing all the while, she was too badly injured to be hauling around town...

He carefully laid her on the couch then called Doctor Arvan.

"Doc, I don't know if you make house calls.." Roman was saying but Arvan cut him off.

"Of course I do. What's wrong?" The doctor asked.

"It's Red. She's been badly burned."Roman explained.

"I'll be there momentarily." The doctor replied and hung up.

Roman knelt in the floor next to Ruby, she was taking only short, pained breaths.

"You hang in there, Red... You're not allowed to die now." Roman said, taking her hand.

Somehow though, he felt himself losing hope.

\----------------------------------------------------

It felt like hours by the time the crazy Doctor arrived, even though it had only been minutes. Doctor Arvan inspected her, his expression grim. "She shouldn't be alive."

"Will she recover?" Roman asked, worried.

"No... I give her a few more hours at most." Arvan replied in a grim voice.

"Isn't there something we can do? Anything at all?" Roman asked, upset.

"Well..." The doctor said quizzically. "There is one thing but I can't guarantee it's success."

"Is that the only option?" Roman asked.

Doctor Arvan nodded.

"Then do it." Roman said firmly.

Arvan instructed Roman to move the coffee table out of the way then stand far back.

"This is something I have only experimented with, she will be the first living creature I've ever done this on." Arvan explained.

Roman nodded, not sure if he should be hopeful or not.

The doctor braced himself then started a range of careful motions, motions that were followed by the glow of dust. Once it had reached it's full mass he directed it at Ruby, concentrating hard.

Roman watched in amazement as the burns started to lighten, revealing the wounds underneath. Once all the burns were gone the glow of the dust changed and her flesh and skin started to grow back. It was a slow process considering the extent of her injuries. Roman realized if Arvan lost concentration Ruby would bleed out now that her wounds were no longer cauterized.

His concentration held though and once he finished there wasn't even a scar. However her entire front was exposed from her neck to just under her belly button.

Arvan stepped back, sitting down as sweat poured from his brow.

Roman walked over, covered Ruby with a blanket.

"Thank you.. Can I get you anything?" Roman asked the Doctor.

"Water..." The man said hoarsely.

Roman nodded and vanished into the kitchen, returning with a glass of cold water.

"Thank you... She should wake very soon. You might fetch her another shirt." The doc said, noticing Roman's ever concerned gaze on the now, comfortably resting girl.

Roman nodded and headed for the bedroom. He hadn't quite reached Ruby when she woke, sitting up suddenly, she looked around, then at herself, turned bright red and covered herself.

Roman smiled apologetically and handed her a new shirt.


	2. Starting Anew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new look, a new power, a fresh start.

The next couple of days at the apartment were uneventful for the most part, other than Ruby cutting her finger while helping cook one night and it barely bled before it healed. She hadn't made any fuss over it, deciding she hadn't really cut it.

Roman decided he would go out for a bit.

He returned to find that Ruby had taken over the living room, her beloved scythe in pieces as she cleaned and recolored it.

She was making it solid white.

He glanced in the bag he was carrying and decided he'd made the right choice.

"I got you something." Roman said, setting the bag down.

"Oh?" Ruby asked, looking up from her work. Her hands were covered in paint, bluing and oil so she couldn't open it herself. He reached into the bag and pulled out a brand new cloak, holding it up for her to see.

It was white satin with red velvet lining.

"Ooo... That is beautiful." She said happily.

"That's not all." He grinned, reaching in the bag again and producing the cloak pins. They where little silver shields.

Ruby squealed. "I love it!"

Roman set them aside. "It's no trouble... What exactly are you up to?"

She looked back at the mess of weapon in front of her. "I'm cleaning Crescent Rose... I'm recoloring it, too, less recognizable that way... I think I will rename it."

"Got any names?" Roman asked.

Ruby nodded. "Crescent Spirit."

"Hmm... I like it." Roman said, sitting on the couch behind her and watching her work.

Later that evening Ruby finished her work and set Crescent Spirit aside.

She went to clean up and looking in the mirror she realized her hair had grown out a bit. Looking at it, it annoyed her so she picked up the scissors on the counter and started chopping, it came out shorter but she liked it.

Once she was done she went to look at her new cloak, it was of the highest quality available. Removing her old one she inspected the old red fabric. That cloak had been with her a very long time and she was a little sad to retire it. It was time though, it was part of a life she no longer led. Setting her old one aside she put on the new one and decided it suited her.

Ruby headed for the kitchen and found Roman there fixing supper. It was just something out of a box but it looked good. She walked in silently and Roman didn't see her, she reached a hand over and rested it on his arm, not wanting to startle him.

He didn't jump but turned a warm smile on her. "It looks good on you."

"Thank you, I really mean it, I love it." She smiled.

"Good, I'm glad... So... Have you thought about what you want to do with your new life? I'm betting working for Cinder is not in the equation.." Roman asked.

"I'm not sure... I still want to become a huntress but I've missed half a year and I would have to find another school.." She said, a bit at a loss.

"We will figure something out, Red. Remember, you are a whole new person now." Roman smiled.

Ruby looked up suddenly. "Wait... can you fake records and get me back into Beacon?"

Roman tilted his head. "I don't see why not. You're sure you want to go back though?"

Ruby nodded. "If I'm someone new I should be alright."

"It will take a few days but I can get you everything you need." He said, seeming a little disappointed.

"What's wrong?" Ruby asked.

"It will be a bit lonely without you." Roman admitted.

"You will have my full attention whenever I'm not at school, I promise." She smiled.

He smiled back. "Alright. What name do you want to use from now on?"

"Uhh... Red... Red Rosewick." She smiled.

Roman smiled too, liking her using part of his name.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day they dyed her hair, decided on her new attire and what she would act like at Beacon. Roman helped her pick a new symbol. It was now a candle with the flame shaped like a closed rose.

They moved on to discussing her weapon and how to handle that bit.

Since Ruby only knew how to fight using a scythe, they decided it wouldn't be the best idea for her to try and learn a new weapon this late into Beacon years, but there was still the problem of Ruby being one of the only scythe wielders in the kingdom.

They came to the conclusion that if she built a slightly different one and left it in an ugly condition, it would be an obvious difference between Ruby and Red.

Finally they figured up the time to do all this and how long it would be before she was able to re-attend Beacon. It would take about a week to get everything done.

They set to work.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a couple of days and Ruby decided to go for a walk. It was late at night and Roman was asleep. She donned her white cloak and picked up Crescent Spirit which was sitting next to the still under construction Whiterose.

Ruby headed out in the dark, the shattered moon not having all that much light to give that night.

While out wandering she heard some commotion and went to investigate.

She was standing in one street, looking at a crossroads when Nora ran by, several angry looking goons on her tail.

Ruby didn't know where Nora's team was but she was quick to follow.

They had cornered Nora in a dead end alley when Ruby got there.

She practically materialized between Nora and the goons. "Turn and leave now."

"Ruby...?" Nora asked, breathlessly.

Ruby didn't answer, only shifting Crescent Spirit to its scythe form.

"We ain't got no business with you, get out of the way." One of them snarled.

"No." Ruby said defiantly. Nora had recognized her so she thought fast and came up with something. "I am Ruby Rose, recently deceased. You cannot kill what is already dead."

The men laughed and one stepped forward. "What the hell ever bitch, move or I'll shoot you too."

"No. I am her guardian angel. I will not allow harm to befall her." Ruby said defiantly.

"Ruby..." Nora said, on the edge of tears.

One of the men shot Ruby in the shoulder. It only grazed but they all watched as it healed without bleeding. The goons got nervous then.

"LEAVE!" Ruby bellowed as powerful as she could.

"Screw you!" One of them shouted as the others ran. He shot her right in the stomach, which started healing right away but it was a powerful shot that tore through her.

Ruby started to chase as the wound didn't even slow her down.

The men all ran away and Ruby turned to check on Nora.

To her horror she saw Nora slumped over, her head bleeding.

"No.." Ruby breathed, she scooped Nora up and charged in the only direction she knew she could find help.

Nora was still alive but the bullet was lodged in her skull.

Ruby was quick to get to Doctor Arvan's Hospital.

"Special guests for the Waiting Darkness." Ruby said quickly and waited for the woman to tell her which room. It was room eight again and up Ruby ran.

Arvan didn't ask any questions, just set to work.

Ruby waited outside. A few hours passed and the doc came out.

"She will be fine... Well, possibly a bit of memory loss but she's alive and well." Doc Arvan said, not seeming concerned with the memory bit.

"Thank you." Ruby smiled and hugged the doc.

He stood awkwardly until she let go.

"Who is she?" He asked.

"An old friend from Beacon... She got shot and I didn't know what else to do but bring her here." Ruby explained.

Arvan nodded. "I see."

"When do you think she can go home?" Ruby asked.

"Well, she's likely to be out quite some time but about a week should be safe to move her." He said after a bit of thought.

Ruby nodded. "Alright... I will take her back. Thank you."

Arvan smiled. "No trouble, you can stay with her or go home but I'm going to bed."

"Good night." Ruby smiled.

"Same to you, child." He said as he walked away.

Ruby decided to check on Nora before heading home. She was sleeping, her head bandaged. Sure Nora was comfortable and safe, Ruby returned home.

Roman was still sleeping and she happily joined him.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------  
Meanwhile  
\------------------------------------------------------------------

Ren woke somewhere between late night and early morning but closer to morning. He noticed Nora absent and figured she was likely sleepwalking. He got out his scroll and called hers, it rang next to her bed. Frowning he shut it off and went to the cafeteria, that being where she usually went when sleepwalking.

She wasn't there.

He checked a few more places then came back to the dorm.

She hadn't returned while he was gone ether.

He woke their teammates. "Nora is missing."

"Are you sure she didn't just go to the bathroom?" Jaune asked.

"Yes, I bumped into Velvet who had just been there and she said she hadn't seen her. I checked the other usual places too, she's just gone!" Ren said, on edge which was very unusual.

Ren's panic woke Jaune the rest of the way up and he got up, Pyrrha was already dressed.

They left together and combed the campus. Finding nothing, they left a note one one of the Professors doors and went into town to search. It was dawn by the time they got there and they split up, calling for her, searching everywhere she might have gone.

No luck. She had just disappeared.

They had been searching a couple hours after sunrise when the rest of the school joined them.

Ozpin found them soon after that. He took one look at the distressed Ren and placed a hand on his shoulder. "We will find her."

The sun set over Veil and Nora was still missing.

The next few days went on in the same manner, Ozpin and everyone else fearing those who had killed Ruby had gotten a hold of Nora. By the third day Ren was losing hope of ever finding Nora alive.

He remembered how they found Ruby all too clearly and in his nightmares he saw Nora there, being drugged and killed by Grimm.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The morning after Ruby had taken Nora to the hospital she told Roman of the news. They agreed to hold back her joining till after Nora was returned home.

They went about the plans as normal, though Ruby checked on Nora in person every day. She had yet to wake but the doctor said she was doing well and would be fine to return soon.

There was a report in the paper that Beacon would soon end the search for the lost girl.

Ruby turned to the doctor after reading that. "Can I return her that day? Will it be safe to move her by then?"

The doctor looked at the paper and nodded. "I think so, just make sure someone finds her right away. I don't think she should be left without supervision at first."

Ruby nodded, planning to meet them early in the morning. Roman was worried she'd be found out, but she promised she could handle this.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the early morning of the last scheduled day of the search Ren and the others were getting ready to go out and look for Nora one last time. Ren had become practically a ghost, more quiet and reserved than ever before, he missed Nora more than anyone and it hurt to think she was just... gone.

They left the dorm that morning to find it foggy. Ren sighed, the cool air and fog that hid almost everything from view seemed a strangely fitting reflection of how he felt inside.

As they approached the bridge they noticed a figure standing in front of it. As they neared they realized it was a girl wearing a white and red cloak.

And in her arms... was Nora.

The girl was wearing a hood so they couldn't see their face but Ren didn't care, he ran, ran as fast as he could to Nora, she was limp and he was so very worried.

Ozpin was watching the figures in the fog, he couldn't see much but could tell something was going on.

Ren reached the cloaked figure and Nora. Even though her hood was up he could see the lower part of the figure's face. It was Ruby.

She smiled, putting Nora in his arms.

"Thank you." She said softly. "For trying to save me."

Ren looked at her in shock, her white cloak glimmered with dew, her dress was white with red rather than black, trimmed in gold here and there.

Crescent Rose, belted on her side was also solid white.

Just as Jaune and Pyrrha reached them Ruby vanished, leaving only a cloud of rose petals, then, it was like she had never been there.

Ren and the others looked to Nora, she was unconscious, a bandage around her head. Without hesitation they took her to the infirmary. Ozpin met them there.

"How did you find her?" he asked.

"It was Ruby." Ren said, never taking his eyes off Nora.

"She's become an Angel." Pyrrha smiled, tears in her eyes.

Ozpin wasn't sure how true that could be. "Are you sure? It was her?"

Ren looked up and met his gaze. "It was Ruby, come back from whatever lays after we die. She came back just to get Nora back to us. Then she was gone... She did thank us for trying to save her."

Ozpin nodded, daring to believe it possible, there was no better explanation and it was strangely comforting.

Just as Ozpin was about to leave Nora stirred.

"I know you'll be watching over us..." She said, not yet fully awake.

"Who?" Ren asked her as her eyes opened.

"Who what?" She asked back, smiling at him.

She frowned looking around. "Why are we in the infirmary?"

"Nora, can you remember anything?" Ozpin asked.

"Only that Ren promised to make me pancakes today..." She said, confused.

"Nora, you've been missing for almost a full week. You have a head injury. Please, try to remember if you can. What happened?" Ozpin pressed, sitting on the edge of her bed opposite Ren.

Nora tried to concentrate, thinking. Her face screwed up in pain suddenly and she reached for her head. She froze then.

"It's all blurry, and dark... But, there is someone in front of me, wearing a white cloak and carrying a white scythe... It looks just like Crescent Rose... Her back was to me... She was yelling at someone... I think they were trying to hurt me... She said that they couldn't kill her. That she was already dead." Nora paused, remembering and trying to decipher the blurry memory.

"They shot her shoulder and the wound just closed right back up.." Nora let go of her head and looked up. "There's another gunshot but then everything goes black."

Everyone in the room fell silent.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby waited a couple of days after Nora's return to return to Beacon. The paperwork sent in and accepted Ruby was ready to leave, about to go out the door when Roman hugged her again.

"Be careful, remember to come to me if there are any problems." He said, letting her go.

She smiled. "Dont worry. I can do this."

He kissed her again and then she was off.

She arrived at Beacon on time, heading to the headmaster's office as she was instructed. Sinse she was a transfer student starting in the middle of the year she was going to join a little differently this time. She was worried about meeting Ozpin, hoping he wouldn't see her for who she really was.

She was dressed mostly like a boy, loose black pants and heavy boots, a red shirt under a black hoodie. Her hair was boyishly short and bright red, her eyes a dark shade of purple. One eye was covered with an eye patch. White Rose, her new and less amazing weapon was on her side. When in full scythe form it was bulky with a near curveless blade that was harder to work with. It was also made of an odd assortment of parts so it was multi colored in the ugliest manner.

She made her way into Ozpin's office. There he sat, coffee in hand.

"Ah, you must be Red." He said with a warm, welcoming smile. "Please, have a seat."

Ruby did so, walking more like a boy than a girl.

Ozpin studied her face. She could tell that there was something about her that he was trying to see but couldn't.

"Your file says that your reason for transferring to my school is that another student at your old school attacked you." Ozpin said questioningly.

Ruby nodded, pointing to the eye patch and speaking in a gruff, boyish voice. "Yes, there were quite a few students who didn't like my views. They ganged up on me one night and attacked me together, I fought them off but lost my eye. My mother was furious and wanted me to drop out completely. I finally got her to agree to letting me transfer to a more accepting school."

Ozpin nodded. "And these views that got you attacked?"

"I believe that the faunus are people as much as the rest of us, I also believe that the strong should protect the weak, not pick on them. I spent my entire first year putting bullies in their place." She explained, still speaking like a boy.

Ozpin nodded. "I see..."

He set his coffee down, folding his hands and leaning forward, resting his chin on his hands.

"Your file also states that you are a girl... To be honest, and I in no way mean this to be offensive, I can't tell." He said.

Ruby leaned back. "Good. I was born a girl, and that's where that ends."

"So you would prefer a male uniform?" He asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Your file also suggested you could make a good leader." Ozpin stated, sitting straight again.

Ruby shrugged. "The teachers felt that way."

Ozpin nodded. "I have a team with no leader in the same year as you. You think you could lead them?"

Ruby was quiet, he couldn't mean Weiss and the others…

"What happened to their leader?" Ruby asked.

"He was suspended for endangering the leader of another team." Ozpin explained.

"Oh... Are they alright?" Ruby asked, knowing the question would hurt but having to ask it. Just as Ruby had figured a pained expression crossed Ozpin's face.

"Between his actions and her team's she ended up in a very bad place... She was killed." Ozpin explained sadly.

"I'm sorry." Ruby said, sounding detached.

"It's alright. I don't think she is in pain anymore... Anyway." Ozpin said, waving the subject away.

"Do you think you could handle being a leader?" He asked.

Ruby shrugged. "I can try, I'll do my best."

Ozpin nodded. "I'll introduce you to them then. I hope you enjoy your time here. Welcome to Beacon."

They both stood and Ozpin led her out of the room.

"Their old leader must be suspended a long time to get replaced." Ruby said curiously.

"Two years, both him and the team that failed their leader." Ozpin explained.

"Oh." Ruby said, she was a bit surprised her team had been suspended too.

She was glad, however, that Ozpin had not recognized her.

"The leader who died... Her name was Ruby." Ozpin said as they walked.

"She was a scythe wielder like you. One of the best I had ever seen." He added.

"Don't hold your breath. I get by but I'm nothing special." Ruby said with a grunt.

They reached a classroom and Ozpin had her wait while he slipped in.

He returned quickly with three boys in tow. Cardin's team.

"This is Red Rosewick, transferred in from one of our sister schools. Red will be your new leader." Ozpin informed them. They didn't seem too happy about it.

"Cardin will not be back for two years if he comes back at all. Until then at the very least, you will be answering to Red. Are we clear?" He asked them and grudgingly they nodded.

"Red, this is Russel, Dove and Sky. I will leave you to get to class and get to know each other. Oh, and your things will be delivered to the room you will be sharing with these three." Ozpin said then took his leave.

Ruby joined them in class, none of them speaking just yet.

Between that class and the next she was given a uniform, a male one as Ozpin had promised.

Once dressed and on to the next class it almost felt normal. When the days' classes were over they went to the dorm, Ruby letting the guys lead her there as she pretended to have no idea where anything was.

While not nice or overly accepting of her, they weren't mean ether. Once everyone settled for bed Ruby found herself unable to sleep, missing Roman terribly.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The next day at breakfast she found the lot to be a little more talkative, not much though.

Classes continued as normal and when lunch rolled around she found her team picking on Velvet. Ruby marched over and decked each one in turn, then put herself between them and the poor faunus girl.

"That is enough." She said harshly.

They all stared stupidly at her.

"You think just 'cause she's a little different you have the right to make fun of her? You don't. I bet she is easily a better person then the three of you combined." She added.

"She isn't even human!" Russel spat.

Ruby narrowed her eye. "Just because she's a faunus does not automatically make her less of a person. She breathes the same air, eats the same food and looks at the same sky as we do. She is learning to become a huntress to fight at the side of all the rest of the hunters and huntresses. Human, faunus, that means nothing now. We are all hunters fighting to protect our homes and families against the rising darkness. We are all one in this place. If you can't see past that then you will never survive after graduation."

Everyone in the cafeteria had fallen silent.

"Get up and go find us a place to sit. I had better not see more of this behavior or mark my words, you WILL regret it." Ruby said then turned to Velvet. "Are you alright?"

"Uh.. Yes... Thank you.." Velvet said, she tilted her head. "I've never seen you before."

"The name's Red, I transferred in yesterday and was put in charge of those clowns. I apologize for their actions against you, I will not tolerate it."

Velvet nodded. "Thank you..."

With that Ruby returned to her table. She was glad for the voice exercises Roman had put her though, allowing her to keep the voice of 'Red' more easily.


	3. Tides of Time

Ruby's new team quickly learned her absolute intolerance for bullying and nonsense.

At one point Ruby caught them picking on one of the other student's fashion choices.

"Really?" She asked, having them cornered in the cafeteria. "You think it's funny? You know what? Maybe what you are wearing looks funny to me."

"Oh come on, you gotta agree that it looks stupid." Dove whined.

"No." Ruby replied. "I will have your punishment in the dorm tonight. If you don't want it to be worse, behave."

That evening, after classes they walked into the dorm to receive their punishment, they had no idea what Red had in store but they were sure it was bad if it was not to be displayed earlier.

They walked in to find their leader sitting on a large wooden box locked with a padlock. She had the key in her hand.

Sky closed the door behind him and they silently waited to find out what she was thinking.

"Strip." Ruby told them flatly.

Once only wearing their underwear she tossed the rest into the box, they saw the rest of their clothes in there too, then locked it with the key.

She then went over to a cardboard box and handed them each a pink dress with little bows on them.

"You will wear this for the rest of the week, if you behave, I'll give you your clothes back, also, your uniforms have been switched for the female ones."

"Are you serious?" Russel demanded.

"The teachers won't let you do this!" Dove snapped.

"Got permission from Ozpin, you wanna go ask?" Ruby asked.

They fell silent, resigning to their fates.

The very next day at breakfast someone started picking on Russel for wearing a dress. He turned to Ruby, looking for help.

"You can't let them do this!" He insisted.

"You did it so it can't be that bad." She replied then walked off.

So, they spent that week trying to hide from everyone.

They behaved for about two days after they got their clothes back but then went right back to bullying others again when they thought their leader wasn't around.

She was across the courtyard when she saw them teasing a boy who wore thick glasses, holding them out of his reach and laughing at him.

Sky was the one holding the glasses and suddenly his vision blurred, he felt a sharp pain in his back.

"Give them back." Ruby ordered.

He wheezed and lowered the glasses.

Ruby then marched over toward Dove and Russel who were holding the boy down.

"Let him go." Her deadly tone was enough and they did so.

The boy grabbed his glasses and ran off.

Ruby punched Russel and Dove for good measure then went on about what she had been doing before.

That night when they got to the dorm she was already there waiting. She was holding a small box in her hands.

"I really do not appreciate you picking on someone for their impairment. Especially eyes." She said, pointing to her own eye patch. "It is not cute, it is not funny. It is serious and what you did was rude."

She opened the box and handed them each a pair of glasses. They were the extremely dark type most often used by the blind.

"You will wear these for the rest of the week. The only time you may take them off is during class or for homework." She ordered.

They didn't bother arguing this time.

The rest of the week was filled with the same cold silent attitude they had shown her the entire time.

They were behaving themselves though.

When finally the day came they were allowed to take off the glasses, she let them take them off that morning instead of that evening.

"You've been good this week, I believe you've learned your lesson on this matter?' She asked.

They nodded.

"Then you may remove the glasses." She said with a calm, even tone.

They did and seemed relieved.

At lunch, after what had been weeks of silent lunches with them they started talking around her. Not really to her but around her for sure.

That afternoon when class let out she went to track the three down only to find Russel pulling on Velvet's ears, tugging her around in circles.

Ruby marched right up to him, without a word she grabbed him by the ears and started pulling him around. He released his grip on Velvet and she stepped back, watching.

"Ow! That hurts!" He complained.

"Then why did you do it to her? Not so funny now is it?" Ruby snapped at him.

"No! I'm sorry!" He said, trying to wiggle away but Ruby had a strong grip.

She tugged him hard to the side then let go, sending him to the dirt on his butt in the fading sunlight.

He shot her a glare but she matched it, crossing her arms and nodding her head in the faunus' direction.

He sighed, standing and turning to Velvet. "I'm sorry. That was rude of me and I won't do it again."

Velvet nodded. "Apology accepted."

Russel looked at her in sudden surprise, he hadn't expected her to forgive him so quickly.

"Thank you..." he said, a bit at a loss.

Ruby glanced to the other two who shrunk back under her glare. She let that hang as her threat, not beating the two of them this time.

That evening Ruby left, she didn't tell them where she was going and they didn't ask.

It was the beginning of the weekend and she wanted to see Roman. They didn't follow her either, figuring she was tired of them and she guessed they might enjoy a break from her.

\------------------------------------------------------------

It was late by the time she knocked at his door.

Roman answered, his weapon held at and sort of behind his side.

When he realized it was her he smiled, welcoming her in.

"I'm glad to see you." He smiled.

"Same to you. You are never going to believe this." She smiled, hugging him.

"Really?" He asked, pushing the door closed and carrying her to the couch, he set his weapon to the side.

"Mm-hmm. I get back and Ozpin believed the file we gave him. He decided to make me leader of a team without one." She started explaining.

"Oh, not your old team." He said, wide eyed.

"That is what I thought at first to but no, they have been suspended." She explained.

"Then who?" He asked.

"Team CRDL, Cardin was suspended too." She explained.

"Wow, now you get to control the school's resident jerks." Roman laughed.

"Actually I've been punishing them for picking on others." She smiled.

"Ah, I see." He said, pulling her close. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." She said, hugging him tightly.

When they leaned back to look each other in the eyes Roman smiled.

"I think we need cookies." He said, grinning

"Ooh, yes." She smiled back.

"We will have to make them ourselves though, I don't have any." He said, tilting his head.

"That's ok, we can do that." Ruby grinned, leaning in and kissing him.

Somehow, they never made it to the kitchen.

\---------------------------------------------------------

The weekend didn't last as long as she would have wished and she was rushing back to school at the break of dawn the day classes where to resume.

She got back in time to find her team getting ready and they all nodded to her in greeting.

None of them questioned where she went or why, they didn't even ask why she was walking a little funny. They just waited for her to get dressed and followed her to class.

That day at lunch they joked with each other, picked on one another but no one else, they still didn't really speak to her though.

A couple of days passed like this, then one evening she saw her team, in the courtyard. They had circled someone and was beating on them.

Furious she stomped over, grabbing Dove by the collar of his shirt and twisting her weight to send him into the fountain.

The other two spotted her and backed off from their victim. It was Fox, one of Velvet's teammates.

"He started it." Sky stammered.

"So you all attacked at once? Beat on him while he was down? And did you ever think he was just tired of you picking on Velvet?" She snarled at them nearly yelling with rage.

Fox stood, dusting himself off. The left side of his face was swollen so he couldn't see out of that eye.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Fine..." He grumbled, limping off.

Ruby returned her glare on her team.

Dove dripping wet and still standing in the fountain.

Sky and Russel standing near Dove, all waiting for something to happen, ready for her to start throwing punches.

"If you wanna fight someone three on one like that, you do it with me." She growled.

They all grinned, liking the idea they might get the chance to beat her for a change.

Ruby stood ready, motioning for them to make their move.

The three charged her, attacking at different angles.

She dodged Sky's attack and rolled under Dove's. She let Russel's fist graze her shoulder.

She dodged about, getting a feel for how they fought before attacking. It didn't take long to see they liked to play dirty. Sky threw dirt in her good eye and Dove followed that with a punch at her back.

She twisted away but found herself in line with Russel. He kicked her and she was very glad she wasn't really a guy, still that did hurt and she sank to her knees.

Russel laughed, she used their distraction and took that moment to place a hand in the grass and spring forward, headbutting Russel in the jaw. He hit the ground out cold.

She turned on the other two, still not really able to see, she had to trust her ears.

Dove charged in from the side and she waited until he was nearly on top of her. She ducked, and stepped into him, hitting him at the waist and making him over balance, falling across her back. She twisted and threw him into Sky, sending both to the ground.

Fox returned with professor Oobleck and they watched the fight.

Sky and Dove scrambled to their feet and charged.

Ruby still couldn't see anything, she ducked under their punches by leaning back and falling to her hands, kicking up with her legs as she did a backflip. She caught both under the chin and sent them flying away.

Dove did not get up but Sky did, rubbing his jaw before he charged in again. Ruby waited for the last moment then sidestepped, grabbing his arm and using his own momentum against him, sending him face first into the base of the fountain.

He didn't get up again.

Professor Oobleck walked over.

"It is not good for a team leader to be beating their team senseless, even if they were picking on someone else... You need to go see Professor Ozpin first thing tomorrow morning, understood?" He asked.

Ruby only nodded then set to picking the idiots up and dragging them back to the dorm.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Russel was the first one awake. He looked around, realizing he was back in the dorm. There was an ice pack on his jaw and he was in his bed, his shoes pulled off.

He looked around, remembering he had been fighting Red.

Red was standing over Sky with a worried expression, cleaning blood from his forehead.

"I'm sorry Sky... With the dirt in my eye I couldn't see, I didn't mean to hurt you this bad... Please be okay..." She was saying quietly.

Russel felt bad for fighting his leader when they did seem to care.

His vision blurred and he fell back into sleep.

\------------------------------------------------------

The next morning the three woke, other than being bruised, they were fine.

Ruby however, had not slept. She smiled when she saw the three had woken up but quickly hid her relief.

"So, you still think you can take me?" She asked.

They shook their heads, admitting to defeat.

"From now on, if you try to bully someone like that you will have to face me in combat. Understood?" She asked, getting up and turning to leave.

"Yes." Sky and Dove said together.

"Where are you going?" Russel asked. He realized they had been up all night and he remembered them being worried about Sky.

"I have to go speak with Ozpin. Oobleck saw our little scuffle last night. Fox thought you three where going to kill me so he fetched the Professor." She explained then left.

\------------------------------------------------------

Ozpin was in his chair, drinking coffee and reading an incident report.

"It says here that you singlehandedly beat your own team unconscious last night." Ozpin said, looking up at her, trying to hide the fact that he was impressed.

"Yes sir." She replied.

"And why would you do such a thing?" He asked.

"They were picking a fight with someone else, three on one, not fair and I wouldn't let them do something like that just for fun." She explained.

"You're still having to deal with them bullying others?" He asked.

She nodded. "Often, I'm trying to break them from it, teach them discipline."

"They will need discipline if they are to survive as hunters. How are you handling that other than making them dress like girls and beating them up, though?" Ozpin continued his questions.

"Most times I found out they were bullying someone I would pull them aside and put them through the same humiliation. See how much they liked it. Hence the dresses. Even though I'm smaller than them I can still easily take them on without much effort. If I hear so much as a rumor they are bullying someone I will take them to the ground, even in a three on one fight like last night." She explained.

"I see." Ozpin said, interlocking his fingers and leaning back. "Is it working?"

"I think so, they have started behaving better most the time." She explained.

"Then keep up the good work." Ozpin smiled. "You are dismissed."

\-------------------------------------------------

She returned to the first floor to find her team waiting, gloating.

"Got in trouble didn't you?" Dove sneered. "The professors won't be letting you beat up on us now, will they?"

"Actually." she said, unfazed. "Ozpin said to keep up what I was doing."

The three of them fell to the floor, not expecting that.

Still, she was telling the truth so they accepted it.

Lunch that day was about the same, still not really talking to her much.

They were starting to behave much better though.

Just when she was starting to think they had really straightened out their act, they were walking to class behind Ruby and passing Velvet they shoved her to the ground.

Ruby caught sight of the move in the reflection of the glass window at the end of the hall and spun round, leaving each of them with bloody noses that class.

They sat a little away from her, nursing their wounded noses as Oobleck sped about jabbering ninety to nothing about Semblances. The unusual, the dangerous, the strange. Things they would not have learned about in the previous schools like Signal.

"Does anyone here have a high risk semblance?" He asked, waiting for the class to respond.

Ruby raised her hand, she was the only one to do so.

This had been Roman's plan, since her semblance was so signature she couldn't use it here, the best way to handle that was to say hers was a 'high risk' semblance.

"Yes, Red." Oobleck noted, turning the attention of the class to her.

"I have a Death Semblance." She announced.

"Ahh, how exactly does this one work?" He asked her.

"I can lay my hand over someone's heart and will it to stop. I can lay my hand over their head, and will it to stop. When I do, they die." She explained.

"I see, how did you learn of your Semblance?" He asked.

"I killed my father." She slid her face into her hands, acting the part. "I just wanted him to stop yelling, I didn't want him to die. I was only nine years old.."

"Dreadful, simply dreadful." he said, giving her a moment of silence before continuing.

"This is why those with this type of Semblance are put through special training at an early age." Oobleck went on.

Ruby glanced over at her team.

They had fallen still and silent, watching her. Knowing she could kill them at any moment.

After that they finally stopped bullying others.

\-------------------------------------------------

Now she could focus on their training. They had questions for her though.

"Did you really kill your old man?" Dove asked.

"Yeah." She said coldly.

"That's why we've never seen you use your semblance." Sky stated.

"Trust me, you don't want to see it." She sighed. "Besides, I've vowed to never use it again."

"What did you mean by you just wanted him to stop yelling?" Russel asked.

"My parents fought often, my father was the drunken type." She said, acting so that they would think she didn't really want to talk about it.

Russel walked over and hugged her.

"I understand." He squeezed her a little tighter before letting go. "My dad is the same way."

They all fell silent a few minutes.

"Come on guys, it's a nice day and we all got classes off early today, lets do some sparring." She smiled, changing the subject.

They started sparring hand to hand then, mostly just testing each other's reflexes that day. Even so she worked them till they were ready to drop.

She was barely fatigued though. "See, when your only form of training is rough housing and picking on people weaker than you, you never get any stronger."

They knew she had a point.

The next day showed them the beginning of their new training.

"I'm gonna show you how hard we train in Atlas." She told them.

They were up before the sun, starting with stretches then jogging, followed by extensive workouts and sparring. They learned not to eat before hand, if they did she would work them until they threw up and then force them to keep going.

Once done training she had them shower before getting ready for class.

After classes she would give them a bit of a break until it was time to do homework.

She never let them skip or copy someone else.

That got on Sky's nerves and one day the threw the papers in her face. "I don't want to do this! You can't make me!"

"Why?" She asked. "It is for your good not mine."

"Because it's stupid and doesn't make sense!" he snapped at her.

She picked up the papers and looked them over. "What doesn't make sense? Maybe I can help."

His anger deflated and he pointed out what he was having trouble with.

"Oh, I see, yeah, that's tricky, here let me show you a thing." She smiled.

Even though she worked them relentlessly in the mornings and made sure their homework was done and ready before they could go to bed, they all had to admit that they were getting stronger, faster and a bit smarter.

\--------------------------------------------

Months passed and none of the three had figured out for sure if she was a boy or a girl, just to be safe they referred to her as he and Ozpin and the other professors were no help there, always just referring to her as 'Red'.

Finally the end of the school year grew close and the Vytal Festival was set to start soon.

Ruby saw Cinder around school and at the Vytals as well but never said a word, fearing retaliation against Roman.

When the school year came to a close Ruby had found herself with a new friend in Velvet, her team was behaving better than she had hoped and finally starting to open up to her a little.

Once she left Beacon for the summer Ruby returned to the apartment. She had seen Roman rarely and contacted him little. He had missed her and she him.

Cinder's plans seemed to have a lot to do with Beacon as the movement slowed in the summer, Roman even got some time off. When he did go out Ruby would let his work slide, trying not to think about it too much.

She had been home no more than a week and he'd had to leave. When he came back he found Ruby laying in the floor, staring out the skylight.

"Please don't tell me you are having another crisis." Roman said, walking over to look at her.

"No, just watching the clouds." She smiled up at him.

"Well, how about instead of lazing around here on such a lovely day we go out and enjoy it?" He asked, offering her a hand up.

"Alright." She grinned, taking his hand and letting him pull her to her feet.

Still holding her hand he guided her to the door.

"What are we going to go do?" Ruby asked, curious.

"You'll see." He grinned back at her.

She could tell he was up to something.

They got in the car and drove off, heading out of town. Ruby watched out the window as the buildings got farther apart.

Roman still wouldn't tell her what he had planned but he seemed in a very good mood so she let herself look forward to whatever it was.

Finally he turned down an abandoned highway that led to one place, an abandoned air hanger.

She glanced at him curiously as he drove past the old buildings and parked at one of the hangers.

Killing the engine he looked over at her. "Tell no one about this place."

She nodded and he smiled, getting out of the car and opening her door for her. Taking her hand again he lead her out to one of the runways, parked there was a little red car, very nondescript and simple.

They got to it, and Ruby noted it had little to no tinting, the interior was clean but plain.

Ruby gave Roman a confused look. "I don't understand..."

Roman grinned and tossed something at her, on reflex she caught it.

Car keys.

"Wait... I don't know how to drive!" Ruby said in shock.

Roman grinned, opening the driver door and motioning her to it.

"I know, you're going to learn." Roman grinned.

Hesitantly Ruby got in behind the wheel. Roman got in on the other side and started explaining how everything worked. Once he had been over it twice and made her repeat it back he instructed her to start the car.

She did.

He explained the gauges again now that they were reading.

She nodded.

He pointed out the gears and their relation to the stick shift.

"Now, hold down the brake, no no, your right foot only. Yes, now, hold that down and move this to the drive position." Roman instructed calmly.

Ruby followed his instructions nervously.

She eased on the gas and slowly took the little car around the runway. There were places to turn on to other runways and she did whenever Roman instructed her to, slowly she got more comfortable and was able to drive a little faster. Once she had gained some confidence and was driving at acceptable speeds while staying in control Roman had her pull to a dead end, park, then put the car in reverse and go back through everything backwards.

Once she was not only comfortable but fully competent at driving the little car, which took a couple hours, Roman had her drive back to the hanger. As they neared the door Roman took a remote from his pocket and hit a button, there was a loud noise as the door's motor kicked on and started lifting the door.

Once it raised enough Ruby flicked on the headlights and drove in. The building was huge and Roman had her park off to the side next to a newer, faster looking car.

Ruby killed the engine and they got out, Roman walking over to the far wall and flicking a switch.

The large overhead lights kicked on with a bang and the place flooded with light.

Now that she could see Ruby saw that there were a multitude of vehicles.

Everything from a forklift to a Bullhead. There were the two cars, a delivery truck, a semi without a trailer, a motorcycle and the Bullhead.

Ruby looked back to Roman and he was smiling ear to ear with his hands held wide.

"What do you want to learn next?" He asked.

Ruby laughed. They made their way through learning everything. Ruby saved the Bullhead for last.

It was easier than she expected, she took it up into the night sky, as night had fallen a few hours before. She thoroughly enjoyed flying and turned out to be a natural.

Roman was satisfied that she could handle herself no matter what she needed to drive so he suggested she land and they go home.

Ruby agreed, she was getting tired.

It was a good call, Ruby fell asleep on the drive back.

Roman didn't wake her, just carried her in to bed when they got home.

\------------------------------------------

For the most part Roman really did get a good amount of time off, on those days he would take her out to the hanger and let her practice driving things.

Other times he was out late for 'work'.

It was one of the nights he had to go out he came back late. Ruby had waited on him, she was reviewing things on her scroll.

"Ah, did they give you a new one?" Roman asked.

"Yeah, I'm glad, too. I missed having my old one after leaving it behind the night I ran away." She smiled.

Ruby also kept tabs on everyone while she was 'at home' for the summer.

Nora called her and she went to the roof to take the call, just in case someone should look over Nora's shoulder and see where she was.

"I have to tell you what I found out today!" Nora proclaimed.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"Well, did you hear that Ruby's team stayed in Yang's home town with her dad after the funeral?" Nora asked.

"No, I didn't." she answered.

"They did. I just got off the line with Blake, I'm really worried about Yang. Blake said that she wasn't eating much and sleeping even less. That she goes into the wilderness for weeks at a time just killing Grimm. I'm scared something is going to happen to her." Nora explained.

"Yeah, that's pretty bad... I hope she snaps out of it." Ruby sighed.

"Me too." Nora agreed.

It was about a month later Ruby called Velvet up to see how she was doing.

"Oh, I'm doing well. I found out about a new organization rising up for the faunus, it's founded and run by Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee. It's called 'The Clan' and it's a peaceful alternative to the White Fang. It is friendly to Hunters and I think I may join."

"Wow, that is really cool. Where could they have gotten the funding for it though?" Ruby asked.

"The Schnee family is funding them, backing them up even." Velvet explained.

"I see." Ruby nodded.

They talked on for awhile then Velvet had to do other things.

It was a few day's later when Nora called her again.

"So here I am, reading through my journal you know? It's almost like reading about someone else. I don't remember any of this stuff... Anyway did you know Ozpin almost had me sent home? For good?" Nora asked.

"No, why would he do that?" Ruby asked.

"Because, when I got shot in the head I lost the part of my brain that keeps up with the day's events. Every time I go to sleep I forget almost everything that happened after that night." Nora explained.

"How where you able to stay on at Beacon then?" Ruby asked.

"Ren!" She smiled. "He suggested I keep the journal and he promised to help me find ways to survive as a huntress even with this problem. He managed to convince Ozpin to let me stay!"

"That's great." Ruby smiled.

"Oh, I have to go, Ren just made pancakes!" Nora said excitedly, not even letting Ruby say bye before hanging up.

Nora getting shot had become common knowledge around Beacon, she hadn't heard Nora's memory had gotten so bad though, making her glad she had managed to get a hold of Nora's scroll during one class and slip her contact info into it. Now, Nora with her memory problems didn't realize that 'Red' Wasn't someone she had already known before.

\-----------------------------------------------

The summer passed faster than she would have liked but she had enjoyed it greatly. Her and Roman had gotten closer and she felt warm and content inside.

The morning before she had to return to Beacon Roman woke her with a kiss.

"I have something for you." He was smiling, up to something again.

"Oh?" She asked sleepily.

He let her get dressed then lead her out to the garage.

Ruby gave him a confused look as he punched in the code to open the door.

When the door rolled up there was something in front of his car. It was covered in a tarp.

Roman was practically giddy with excitement. "Come on, look!"

She smiled at him and pulled the tarp away.

Underneath was a motorcycle. It was a deep rose red and accented in chrome with black leather. It was a different breed than Yang's motorcycle, where hers covered most everything this was one of the exposed type. Giving it a lighter, sleeker feel.

"Oh... Roman..." Ruby said, astounded.

"Don't think I didn't pay attention to which vehicle you frequented." He grinned, quite proud of himself. "And I didn't steal it." He added.

Ruby brought her hands in front of her and made fists then squealed loudly.

"This is sooo awesome!" She squealed.

Roman grinned and happily accepted her barrage of kisses and hugs. After a few minutes of that he held up the keys and grinned at the look in her eyes.

She snatched them up and got lost in the awesomeness of looking the thing over more closely, it even had her symbol on it. Roman smiled as she bounced about looking over every inch and noting things about its engine and other features. She finally started it and was giddy at the open roar of it. Much louder and far better a machine then the one she had practiced on.

Roman walked over and opened one of the leather saddlebags, pointing out the drivers id and insurance that was all titled to her.

"I may have bought it but I've had it put in your name. Anything that happens is on you, Red." Roman explained then tapped the insurance card. "Call that if you do get in a mess, they will help you get fixed up and should have it all covered."

"How much do I owe for that?" She asked, both of them speaking loud to hear each other over the engine.

"Psht." Roman waved the notion away. "Pocket change."

She squealed again and hugged him.

Once she let him go he got on behind her so she could drive it.

It was easily the best gift anyone had ever given her.

\---------------------------------------------------

When the school year started her team greeted her happily. They were more responsible and she found herself liking them and they were quickly warming up to her as well. Velvet hung out with her more, even sparring with her some.

Ruby spent time with Nora, telling her things since she knew the girl wouldn't remember them.

It was at least two more months before her team finally figured out she was a girl.

Sky walked in the dorm without Ruby knowing, she hadn't heard him.

She continued to change clothes as he looked for his missing scroll he seemed to lose daily. He looked up and saw Ruby only in her underwear. He turned bright red and looked away. "I'm sorry, I, uh, I didn't know you, your... you were... I won't tell anyone."

"It's ok, I know you didn't do it on purpose." Ruby said, getting dressed.

Sky continued to look away. "I mean, well, you're a girl... None of us knew.."

"Oh, yeah, I didn't know you hadn't figured it out.. I don't mind you and the other two knowing... I'll tell them." Ruby said, slipping on the last article of clothing. "And you can look at me now, I'm dressed."

Sky smiled, turning around to face her. "You look like a guy, you totally had me fooled."

Ruby chuckled. "Yeah, I prefer to leave people guessing."

She tracked down Russel and Dove and told them the truth about her gender, apologizing for not saying sooner.

"Don't worry about it." Dove said, waving the apology way.

"Yeah, it was actually kinda fun trying to figure out which you were." Russel added.

Ruby smiled. "Thanks, guys."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passed and Ruby continued working with her team, making them stronger and their bond stronger as well. They where actually becoming respectable young men under her leadership. Ruby notice the steady improvement and was glad when even the practical jokes ended, only teasing each other.

Somewhere along the way they started being quite nice to the other students, even those who were faunus. Ruby saw Russel holding a door open for Velvet more than once and often saw them helping wherever and whoever they could.

The school year had been peaceful thus far, Cinder was biding her time.

It was late on a weekend night that Ruby left to visit Roman. She didn't notice her team was not sleeping. Didn't' notice them follow her.

According to her records it was her birthday the next day but they knew that whenever she left during the weekend she didn't come back till the night before school started. So they had decided to follow her and see where she was going, figuring it to be her moms' place so they could throw her a party.

Where she led them to surprised them. She had said her mother didn't have much, yet they were on the rich side of town.

Ruby went to an apartment building, they watched her go to the fourth floor and knock.

The door was answered by one Roman Torchwick.

They all tensed, expecting her to be surprised, to attack him... She was neither.

They all watched in shock as she threw her arms around him and kissed him.

All three stood, shocked, dry mouthed and confused. Their leader, who had been so much better a person than Cardin, was dating Roman Torchwick.

"She has to have a reason." Sky stated.

"Maybe she's working undercover?" Dove offered.

"I think she would have told us that..." Russel stated.

"Let's find out." Sky said, starting off across the street.

The other two followed, worried and confused.

They knocked, Ruby answered, Roman behind her.

Silence followed.

Ruby looked between them, then to Roman behind her, she looked back to her team.

"I'll explain..." She offered.

"Tonight." Sky pressed.

She nodded and pointed to the roof. "I'll meet you in five minutes."

Satisfied they headed for the ladder on the side of the building.

Ruby breathed a heavy sigh and closed the door.

"That was your team wasn't it...?" Roman asked.

"Yeah.." Ruby said, suddenly worried.

"I'm sorry Red. Whatever happens, I'll be here." He said, hugging her.

"Thank you." She smiled, hugging him back.

"I think they deserve the truth." She sighed heavily.

"This could go bad..." Roman said, worried.

"It already has, I'm afraid." She said, changing clothes and donning her cloak, picking up her real weapon, just in case.

Then she left, climbing the ladder and standing on the ledge, letting the wind play with her cloak.

The three of them looked up at her.

No eye patch, odd silver eyes looked back at them.

Her hood was down, showing the short red hair.

She transformed Crescent spirit so the could see it, resting it over her shoulder.

They looked at each other and back to her again. Silent.

Ruby stepped off the ledge and walked a little closer.

"You're... Ruby?" Russel asked.

She nodded.

"So you didn't die?" Sky put in.

She nodded.

"You became Red." Dove said.

"Yes." Ruby answered.

"So that human trafficking ring..." Russel left the sentence for her to finish.

"Fake." She confirmed.

"Roman Torchwick?" Sky asked.

"My boyfriend... My lover.." She explained.

"Crescent Rose?" Dove asked.

Ruby pointed. "Right here, with me the whole time."

"Cardin's uncle David?" Russel asked.

Ruby bowed her head. "I killed him."

"I know what Cardin did was bad... but all this? Why?" Sky asked.

"Are you going to kill us? Now that we know?" Dove asked.

Ruby took a deep breath, sitting down. "No."

"After what happened... After how my old team treated me, I wanted to die. I ran away, I was going to find a way to kill myself. Yet, I had made friends with Roman through the school minecraft server. So in my time of weakness, I went to him. He was there when no one else was." She explained, watching the faces of the others. They believed her. "I had been here a long while and one day decided to follow Roman to see what he did... He was meeting with David Winchester to discuss dust trafficking. David didn't like what Roman was paying him so he shot him... I reacted fast, I gave David the option to drop the gun and walk away, but he tried to kill Roman anyway so... I killed him." Ruby sighed heavily. It was clear she had never wanted to kill another human.

"After that I knew I couldn't go back to Beacon, not as Ruby at least. So, Roman and I faked my death." Ruby explained.

"Then you created an alias and came back to Beacon." Sky summed up.

Ruby nodded. "Yeah."

They fell into silence for a moment.

"So... Are you going to turn me in?" Ruby asked.

They looked at each other then to her, saying together. "No."

"You are a way awesome leader." Sky added.

"You've taught us the meaning of respect." Russel said, smiling.

"You've given us reason to be brave. And really, what is a hunter without that?" Dove added.

Ruby was surprised, she looked at them and started crying. "Thank you..."

All three jumped when she started crying, promising they were serious and that everything would be fine.

When she didn't stop crying right away Sky called for operation 'Team leader tickle party.'

Before Ruby could react they started tickling her and her sobs turned to laughter. They tickled her until she was out of breath, which actually took a while.

When they did stop Ruby laughed and gasped and promised they would pay for that.

"Got you to laugh didn't it?" Russel grinned.

"When did you guys come up with that?" Ruby asked.

"When we found out you were a girl." Dove laughed.

Ruby laughed, they all started laughing and Ruby conked them all on the head at once with Crescent Spirit's shaft.

"Don't do that again. I mean, plan on doing things just because I'm a girl." Ruby said, wagging her finger at them.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Inside the apartment, Roman leaned on his stove, listening through the vent to the sounds on the roof. He had missed most the conversation due to them being quiet. He got worried when he'd heard Ruby cry. But then she had started laughing, laughing hard. Just as he thought she must have snapped and killed them, they started laughing too. Then he heard a chorus of 'ows'.

He sighed, not sure what the hell they were doing.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Back on the roof, Ruby was waiting for them to quit rubbing their heads.

"Now, go back before someone realizes we are all gone. I'll see you tomorrow night." Ruby said.

They agreed, said their goodbyes and left.

Ruby went back inside, relaxed and smiling.

Roman came in from the kitchen. "What where you doing up there?"

Ruby shrugged. "Team things and stuff."

"So it went well?" Roman asked.

Ruby nodded and he hugged her. "Good, I'm glad."

\--------------------------------------------------------

Things resumed as normal for a while. That is, until two weeks later.

Ruby, her new team with Velvet and her team where hanging out at Ruby's favorite pizza place one weekend when someone started pitching rocks at the lot of them.

Ruby looked in irritation in the direction they were coming from. Her team and she spotted the culprit at the same time.

It was Cardin.

Russ, Dove and Sky stood, blocking Velvet from the little missiles.

Ruby stood with them.

Cardin glared. "Glad to see you replaced me!"

"It wasn't our choice." Dove called back.

"Well he looks weak to me, A good for nothing freak loving wimp!" Cardin yelled.

"Watch your mouth, Cardin, you're not half the leader Red is!" Russ shouted.

"Is that so?" He snarled back.

"Why don't you go back to where you belong, Cardin? You're no Hunter if you pick on others for amusement." Sky called.

"I'll have you know I just see it as my duty to strengthen the weak and weed out the freaks! And it looks to me you have a good for nothing, weakling, short, freak loving idiot of a leader who brainwashed you!" Cardin yelled, starting toward them with his eyes locked on Russel.

"Why don't you back that up?" Russ yelled at him.

"Oh, don't think I won't." Cardin said, then suddenly the air was filled with screeching brakes and honking horns.

The lot of them watched in stunned silence as a truck skidded out of control and struck Cardin dead on, rolling over him.

Ruby looked away, not wanting to see what was left of the fool.

The silent moment that followed lasted several minutes but it felt like hours. A crowd of gawkers gathered and then the police arrived on the scene. Ruby and Velvet's teams were still glued in place when the Police started questioning witnesses. Everyone was in shock, none having expected something like that to happen.

The police sent the traumatized kids back to school with a detective to explain what they had been through, apparently the truck driver had lost control and in that moment, hit Cardin.

Little did Ruby know that the truck driver was the same man that Cinder had wanted her to kill.

Ozpin gave all the witnesses of Cardin's demise a week off, sending them home to cope.

Ruby spent that time laying in bed, watching the world go by and waiting for Roman to come back, he was out of town and she was alone.

She was almost normal again when she returned to school, her team seemed to be faring less well.

She forced herself to climb out of that strange stupor so she could lead them out of it as well.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the year seemed to go by quietly.

The following summer Ruby managed to keep up with everyone.

She found out her sister was in the same condition but Weiss and Blake were making headway with the faunus.

Nora still remembered nothing day to day.

Roman informed Ruby that Cinder would be initiating her plans soon.

That was when Ruby decided there was something they needed to get clear.

"Roman... I love you... but I cannot stand idly by and look the other way any longer. While I will never turn you in, the minute we step out of this apartment, I will be working to stop you. Once we step back in here, though, I will be at your side again." Ruby said bravely.

Roman looked over at her, surprised. "Fair enough. And same to you then. I will not kill you though I will do my best to succeed in spite of your efforts."

Day in and day out after that they entered a game of cat and mouse. Ruby managed to slow Cinder's progress a good deal.

Team JNPR was set to start following Glynda that summer and when they did Ruby started shadowing them. They were trying to track down and catch Cinder.

More than once one of them would catch sight of her shadow in the moonlight. Every time they looked, though, all they saw was the edge of a white cloak disappearing over a building.

One late night Team JNPR was separated from Glynda, they could hear fighting on the other side of the building from them. From the sound of it the bad guys had tried to cut them off but found resistance. Without backup, the members of the White Fang fell away and JNPR reached the other side of the building just as the fight ended.

When they got there they expected to find Glynda. Who they saw was Ruby.

The four stood stunned. Ruby winked at them and vanished.

Nora smiled. "My guardian angel!"

Ruby was more careful after that not to let them catch her.

Before long Cinder was way behind schedule and Roman informed Ruby that she was extremely angry.

School started again before she was really ready.

Her and her team took missions, quickly shaping up to be excellent Huntsmen. Ruby was proud of this team, glad she had managed to make such a positive influence on them.

Everything had fallen into a sort of normality. She stayed at school most weekends to keep from raising suspicion.

\------------------------------------------------------

It was nearly a month into school when she finally risked a visit to Roman's apartment.

He wasn't there.

She sighed, he often was out late so she decided to just wait on him, falling asleep on the couch.

It was closer to dawn then midnight when she was wakened by the sound of running water in the bathroom.

She glanced that way in confusion, she hadn't heard Roman come in and she hadn't left anything running. The door was open so she got up to investigate.

It was Roman, he was soaking his white coat in the bathtub and pouring a bottle of peroxide into the mix.

He was coated head to toe in blood.

"What...? What happened? Are you ok?" Ruby asked, worried.

"Fine." Roman said, looking up at her, his eyes were troubled but he was unharmed.

The blood wasn't his.

Ruby looked at him in shock for a moment before asking. "Did you...?"

Roman sighed and went back to what he was doing.

"Cinder needed someone removed." Roman admitted at length.

Ruby stumbled back, her stomach turning in knots thinking about what he had done. She turned to leave the room.

"You knew from the beginning what I am!" Roman yelled after her.

Irritated and upset at having this all happen together, Roman pitched the empty peroxide bottle across the room.

Ruby heard the plastic bottle bounce around in the other room and stopped. She found herself in tears over some unknown dead person.

He was right, he had told her that he had killed before and might have to again. She just hadn't been ready for it. For reality to come crashing in so soon.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, in the middle of the living room, one hand holding her face and the other arm wrapped about her middle, crying.

Roman stepped up behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Ruby jerked away, she hadn't even thought about it, she had just done it.

Roman stood there looking at her, hurt.

"You knew." He reminded again. "It's my life."

Her vision was blurred by a new onslaught of tears.

"Please, Red... Ruby..." Roman said, trying to reason with her.

She couldn't stand to look at him then. Couldn't stand to be there. So she ran.

Roman didn't follow, just sank to the floor, he always tried to avoid killing, too messy. He told himself she just needed room to accept things, that she would get over it.

Ruby didn't return to the dorm yet, needing to calm down. She spent most the morning just driving around Vale, trying to wrap her head around things.

At the moment though, she couldn't stand the thought of even looking at Roman.

\-----------------------------------------------------

By the time her tears had dried and her emotions were under control she had burned through most of a tank of gas, she decided to just return to Beacon, to her team.

They could tell something was bothering her but decided not to ask then, figuring if she wanted them to know she would tell them.

The week crawled on and her mood didn't improve. She snapped at anyone who so much as looked at her wrong. Finally the weekend rolled in and her team took her out to spar with them.

When they found it easy to knock her around they knew something was truly wrong.

"What's going on?" Sky asked, concerned.

"It's... stupid, don't worry about it." She said, not wanting to talk.

"We're your team, you can trust us!" Dove put in.

Ruby sighed. "I know... It's just... My own stupidity."

"Does it have anything to do with your boyfriend?" Russel asked.

Ruby flinched, he'd guessed exactly the problem.

"Did he hurt you?!" Sky asked, quickly getting angry. "I'll kill him."

"No.. No it isn't that..." Ruby said hastily, not wanting Sky to get himself killed.

"It is about him though?" Dove asked.

Ruby sighed again, nodding this time. "I knew from the beginning what I was walking into with him... I just... There are things his life requires him to do..."

Russel rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't handle it.." She finished.

"What are you going to do?" Sky asked.

Ruby shook her head. "I don't really know... I just.. need time to think."

They all nodded.

It was the night before classes where to start and her Scroll buzzed.

_I'm sorry, Red._

Ruby looked at the message, knowing who it was from.

She wasn't ready, she couldn't bear talking to him. She deleted the message.

Nearly an hour later her scroll buzzed again.

_I know you probably hate me right now... I just wish you would at least say so._

Again she just deleted the message.

She didn't bother reading the next one, she just deleted it.

The next few days she was in a darker mood, she got mean in sparring matches. She was going through the same argument in her head, over and over and she couldn't make it stop or find a solution.

"I love him, but he's a killer, I knew that, but i didn't believe he'd do it..." Round and round that internal argument went.

It was nearly a week later when Roman messaged her again.

_Red, please._

She deleted without answering.

_I love you._

She deleted without answering again.

_If you are cutting me out of your life at least tell me._

She still gave no answer, just deleting the message. She didn't want to cut him out of her life, she loved him. Yet she couldn't find the will to speak to him.

She sighed, staring at the ceiling, tired of this argument.

A few more days passed before he messaged her again.

_I get it. I still love you. I'm sorry._

She didn't even really get his point, just deleted the message.

_I won't bother you anymore. Or anyone else._

_Ashes to ashes._

She still managed to miss his point, deleting the message.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Roman sat alone in his dark apartment. He felt cold and empty. He'd lost her. His heart was breaking and he hated it.

He was furious and hurt. He couldn't find purpose in his life anymore. It seemed so worthless. Everything he had worked for thus far seemed so pointless, and that infuriated him.

He wanted to hurt her and couldn't bear the thought of it at the same time.

Pitching his scroll across the room hard enough to shatter it he sighed.

"No point." He grumbled, trudging out of his apartment.

He left his car behind and walked into the night.

Eventually he found his way to Cinder's current hideout. She was having a discussion with a few members of the White Fang.

Just looking at her made him angrier.

"Ah, Roman, I was wondering how long you were going to make me wai... What is the matter with you?" Cinder asked, noticing his dark, angry look.

"You." He growled. "I'm sick of you. We were supposed to be in this together and some how I've ended up being your lap dog!"

She blinked, not expecting the sudden outburst.

"You've done nothing but sneak around and keep me in the dark, at this point I don't even know what your agenda is! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M SICK OF IT!" Roman roared the last bit at her.

"And what do you want?" She asked, her anger quickly rising to match his.

"Oh, I don't know, a bit of respect? A bit of equality? TO KNOW WHY THE HELL I'M EVEN WORKING FOR YOU!" He roared again.

Cinder narrowed her eyes. She didn't give time for threats this time. She balled her fist and coated it in fire dust. She swung at the right side of his face, she was so close, he didn't see it coming.

He was suddenly enveloped in white hot pain.

He didn't remember finding the ground.

He vaguely remembered Cinder picking up his head by the back of his hair.

"You work for me because I tell you to. Don't question me again." She said to him, her voice back to it's normal seductive tone.

"Just finish me off." He growled, honestly wanting to die.

Cinder tilted her head, thinking about it.

"No, you are still useful. But if you cause me more problems... I'll kill the girl." Cinder said, almost cheerful.

The pain in his face and the ache in his heart were too much, the darkness welcomed him.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

When he finally woke he was in Doctor Arvan's hospital again. It hurt to move any muscles in his face, still, he looked around, finding the doctor standing over him.

"Don't tell Red I'm here." Roman said, his voice was hoarser than he'd expected.

Arvan arched a brow but didn't question him, just handed him a mirror.

"You'll live, but you'll be scarred for life." Arvan informed him.

Roman took the mirror and looked.

His bangs had been burned back, though his scalp was fine, from just above his eyebrow to under his cheek then back and down the right side of his face was badly burned, it was gruesome.

His right eye was also completely gone.

Roman sighed, setting the mirror aside.

Doctor Arvan took the hint that his patient wanted to be left alone so he took his leave without another word.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby woke that morning feeling like something was wrong. She couldn't place her finger on it though. Something just felt wrong.

She tried to brush it aside, to go about classes as normal but she found it creeping up on her constantly.

That evening she tried to discern the cause.

She asked her team if they had anything bothering them.

"No, it's all you boss." Russ said.

Ruby sighed, she had been the only one with so much on her mind.

She thought about Roman and was suddenly worried. Even though he was a criminal, even though he was a murderer, so was she. She loved him.

She sighed, that finally stopped bothering her. Remembering she, too, had killed someone meant that her hands weren't clean ether.

Then she found herself with that wrong feeling again. The worry for Roman.

She scooped up her scroll and messaged him.

No answer.

"I kinda deserved that..." She mumbled to herself after a while.

She laid back on her bed, trying to figure out what to do.

She messaged him again.

Still no answer.

Then she remembered.

"Ashes to ashes... Cinder..." Ruby said aloud, getting up and heading for the door.

Her team quickly moved to follow and she turned to look at them.

"No, stay here." She ordered.

They looked to each other then back to her.

"We want to go with you." Sky argued.

"Stay." She ordered again. "Please."

They nodded and she slipped out.

She headed for the apartment.

He wasn't there, looked like he hadn't been in a day or two.

She slipped out and headed for the hospital.

"Special guest for the Rising Darkness." She told the woman at the desk.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked.

"Nothing, I need to check if a patient has been admitted in the last couple of days." Ruby asked.

"No, no one has come, been rather quiet." The woman said tonelessly.

"You're sure?" Ruby asked.

"The Doctor built a small castle on his operating table with playing cards and matches." She replied, still toneless.

Ruby sighed, leaving there she returned to Beacon, she had classes tomorrow so she couldn't stay out all night.

Still, she was worried.

On her way back to the dorm she bumped into Emerald.

"Have you seen Roman?" Ruby asked hushedly.

"That idiot?" She scoffed. "He made the grave mistake of making Cinder mad. Came in yelling at her the other night. Let's just say she didn't take that well and he won't be doing it again."

Emerald smirked and walked off.

Ruby's heart sank. She knew what had happened, it was easy enough to guess.

Roman was dead.

Ruby wandered back to her room, feeling like she was in a daze, it couldn't be true.

And she had treated him so badly the last few days.

She stepped through the door to find her team waiting on her anxiously.

"What happened?" Russ asked.

Ruby stumbled in.

The reality of it all sank in and she dissolved into tears.

The three of her team were at her side instantly, holding her up and asking what had happened.

All worried.

"He's dead..." She sobbed. "It's all my fault."

She was sobbing so hard it was hard to breathe.

The pain was overwhelming.

She felt like her heart had been ripped out and crushed, she felt that tearing, crushing pain.

She was alone.

He was gone.

She had pushed him away.

Now he was gone.

Forever.

Ruby cried until she fell asleep, fitful as it was.

She kept having the same nightmare.

Cinder, angry and throwing that fireball at Roman, just like when she had taken the hit for him, except, in the dream, she didn't move and it hit him.

She watched him burn to death, screaming in agony.

That same nightmare woke her repeatedly that night.

It began to alternate with another nightmare.

She was somewhere dark when she heard Doctor Arvan say. "I'm sorry Little Red, I did all I could."

She would then find herself standing over the cold and motionless form of Roman after having been shot, but when she went to hug him he was suddenly a burned, sticky mess.

Both nightmares had her waking in tears, waking her team.

They would try to calm her down, get her to go back to sleep, though they were all worried.

The next morning for class Ruby moved like a ghost, not saying anything and with no real thought to her actions. She sat through class, no one able to tell if she was paying attention as she just stared blankly in the direction of the professor.

At lunch, Velvet sat next to her and chattered on for a moment. When Ruby didn't respond she glanced over at her, seeing that she was just staring off into space.

"You alright?" Velvet asked.

The other team members of CRDL just shook their heads.

Velvet sighed, patting Ruby on the back.

"Well, whatever it is I'm sure you will get through it." She offered before rejoining her own team.

The day continued on, when classes ended and they were heading back to the dorms Russ put an arm around Ruby's shoulders, the other two getting close.

"How long you going to be this way?" He asked.

She just stared blankly ahead, the same expression she had held all day.

"Come on... Snap out of it..." Sky said, watching her worriedly.

"We know you are in pain... but Red, please, don't let it take over you." Dove said, trying to at least get a response.

"He was all I had..." she said finally.

"You still have us." Sky offered.

"Everyone I loved turned on me. He was the only one that was there for me. When he needed me I turned on him. Now he's gone." She explained, near emotionless.

"It's not your fault!" Russel insisted.

"Everyone I love or care about either turns their back on me or dies. How long will you really be by my side?" She asked, the same tone.

They all stood in shock and she walked away.

The next two days were much the same, her team tried to reach out to her but were met with the same responses.

"There has to be something..." Russel said, the first day of the weekend.

"Anything. Do you even feel anything?" Dove asked.

"No." She replied.

It was true, she seemed to have blocked out all emotions.

She had become cold, she had no heart when sparring, losing easily. She looked as if she had given up the will to live and was just waiting to die.

"Come on... Isn't being our leader worth anything? Our friend?" Sky pleaded.

"My mother died when I was young. My sister turned on me and so did the woman I loved. Now the man I loved more then anyone is dead because I failed him." She replied looking up at him. She shook her head. "I can't. I just can't."

They all sighed, hating that they couldn't help her. Wishing there was something they could do.

\------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby left, walking alone. They let her go. Not knowing what to do. She wandered a long time, finally getting on her motorcycle and driving around Vale.

He was gone, and it was her fault.

She pondered just killing herself. It would be easy, get up to a high speed on her bike and just... not turn. Slam into something.

She'd be done for.

She couldn't bring herself to do that though.

She wondered what she was going to do.

She found herself at the warehouse where Roman had brought her to meet Cinder.

Suddenly she was filled with rage. The first emotion she had felt in a while.

Cinder killed Roman.

Ruby had killed for him once, she saw no reason not to do it again.

She marched in.

The White Fang were not there but there were a lot of shipping crates with the Schnee family logo.

She heard voices and headed that way.

She saw Mercury and Emerald arguing.

Ruby continued forward, still shadowed.

Cinder cut the two off and told them something.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, seeing her target. Whether she won or died Ruby didn't care. Just as she was about to step into the light she saw a familiar white coat and froze.

His back was to her but she heard the sound of a him lighting a cigar. For some reason that smell was the greatest thing in the world right then.

Roman turned to say something to Cinder, Ruby saw the side of his face, so very badly burned. Cinder had hurt him. She hadn't killed him, she had only hurt him, he was still alive!

Ruby charged in using her semblance and stopped directly in front of him.

Everyone froze and fell silent as her rose petals danced through the air.

"Red..." Roman said, looking Ruby in the eyes.

"You're alive..." She replied.

She saw the pain in his eye that matched her own misery. Roman waited, expecting her to slap him for what he'd put her though. Instead of hitting him, she tackled him, causing him to stumble back against a shipping crate as she kissed him.

He was surprised but didn't argue, relaxing and kissing back, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight.

"Oh, for... ugh." Emerald said in disgust and walked off.

"Oh come on, I bet you'd like it if I did it to you." Mercury teased as he followed her.

Cinder was equally disgusted, walking up to the two.

When they finally stopped kissing she was far closer than either of them would have liked.

"If you're going to do that, do it elsewhere." She growled at them.

Roman smirked at her, then swiftly scooped Ruby up in his arms and walked off.

As Roman carried her she studied the severity of his burn, realizing he had lost one of his eyes.

"I'm sorry... this is my fault." Ruby said, pained.

Roman shook his head. "I don't blame you, Red, so don't blame yourself."

"But... your eye..." She stated, still bothered.

"Don't worry about it, Red, I couldn't see out that eye anyway." He informed her.

Once outside he set her next her motorcycle and waited for her to get on.

"Let's go home... I haven't been there in days as it is." Roman sighed.

"I noticed you even left your car behind." She noted. "I thought you were dead..."

He chuckled as she got on the motorcycle.

"I thought you had left me for good, that I had lost you forever. I picked a fight with Cinder because I wanted to lose." He explained, finding humor in the situation now. "What made you come back?"

She started the bike then looked at him. "I love you, I've killed to protect you and when I thought Cinder had killed you, I realized I'd kill again to avenge you."

Roman kissed her.

Once he got on the back of her motorcycle she sped off to the apartment.

They spent that night together, having obviously missed each other's company.

\---------------------------------------------------------

The next morning they were awakened by someone kicking the front door in.

Ruby looked at the bedroom doorway in sleepy confusion as Roman grabbed his weapon and swung over her. He supported himself with one knee while the other leg stabilized with that foot on the other side of her legs. He reached down with his free arm around her middle and pulled her up to him tightly and protectively. His weapon aimed at the door way.

"Red? Red?... Red you here?" She heard her team calling.

Roman didn't seem to recognize the voices.

Sky stepped into the doorway, he jumped a little, seeing Roman's burned face, then he realized they were only loosely covered by a sheet and nothing else, then he noticed the weapon pointed at him and raised his hands.

"I see we're interrupting... I am so sorry." Sky said, afraid he was about to get shot.

"I'm fine. Just go." Ruby said, feeling very awkward.

Sky nodded and started backing away. "Good to see you're alive, ah, looking good, totally."

Roman only glared at him.

Sky turned and grabbed the other two.

"Is she here?" Russ was asking.

"Yes, but so is he and we need to go. Now." Sky replied, dragging them towards the door.

They heard the front door slam and Roman laid his weapon down, turning his attention to Ruby.

"You're team is comprised of idiots." He informed her.

"But they are protective idiots." She offered.

"That's my job." He grinned, kissing her and lowering her back down to the bed.


	4. Old Wounds

Ruby returned to school to find out her team was scheduled for a mission that week.

Quickly she started getting prepared for it. They would be out for several days to clear out some Grimm that had busted through the wall in a distant area.

She was sure it wouldn't take her team long to clear them out and cover the wall repair crew.

The next morning they were off, setting out on their new mission.

Once dropped off they headed for the place they would meet up with the repair crew, from there they laid out a plan. Ruby was satisfied with how they would go about it, the breach wasn't terribly big but it was enough to let Beowolves through and that was a problem.

Beowolves were no problem for her and her team though.

Together with the wall repair team they set off towards the breach.

It was slow going thanks to the heavy machinery that the repair crew needed but Ruby didn't mind, letting the walk be enough to warm her up for the fight.

They reached the temporary blockade and went through.

They immediately met with resistance. The Beowolves were greater in number than anticipated.

The repair crew were armed with guns, offering support fire while Ruby and her team set to work, slicing and dicing the beasts to bits. Ruby found herself wishing she had Crescent Spirit with her instead of White Rose.

Still, with their teamwork they cut through the massive horde in a couple of hours.

When they finally got to a point the repair crew could set to work Ruby sat on top of the wall, sniping anything that got close. Sky and Dove fought on the wild side of the wall, keeping the beasts away from the crew, Russell stayed on the inside to catch anything that managed to get through.

When the wall was nearly done a large wave of Beowolves started charging in, too many for Ruby to take out while they were at a safe distance. She found herself joining Sky and Dove on that side of the wall and fighting by their sides. They had become a good team in the past two years they had worked together.

Soon the wall was finished and Ruby covered her teams retreat. She took several hits in her own escape but they all healed immediately. With the city wall fixed in record time they parted ways with the repair team and got into the waiting bullhead. The trip back gave Ruby time to reflect and think about things. She realized how long she had been with this team and that Velvet and her team would graduate next year, that left her sad.

She also realized they were half way into the year...

\------------------------------------------------------------

Just getting back from the mission, her and her team were walking in from the air dock. Ruby was watching Sky be a dork more than where she was going. There had been another air ship that had dropped people off but Ruby hadn't thought much of it. Until she ran into one of them and both fell to the ground.

Ruby looked over, about to apologize when she met Weiss's eyes.

Any apology Ruby had had lined up vanished in a puff of anger. She stood instantly as Weiss floundered for an apology of her own.

"Why don't you watch where you are going?" Ruby snapped at her.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean..." Weiss stammered, she looked at this strange redhead and felt like she should know him... Her?

"Sorry doesn't cut it. It doesn't take back your clumsiness. Why don't you just learn from this and watch where you are going, little princess. Some of us have important things to be doing other then scraping halfwits like you off the ground and holding your hand in battle. Grow up and watch yourself, otherwise you might just get a teammate killed." Ruby snarled at her, releasing all of her anger in one large volley.

She turned and started off, her team silently falling into step behind her.

That last remark stung Weiss deeply, her eyes filled with tears and she sank back to the ground. It was her first day back, she had been there not ten minutes and was already in pain for her mistakes two years ago.

Blake knelt beside her, hugging her and trying to get her to calm down.

Yang walked past the two, giving them an untrusting glance on her way to check in.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby was hanging out with her team near the main building after the Weiss encounter, she was still trying to calm down. She looked past Dove at an approaching form. It was Yang.

Her sister was covered head to foot in scars of varying degrees, she carried herself like an experienced huntress. She held a cold demeanor and as she got closer Ruby realized she was dead behind those eyes. She looked mean and spoke to no one.

Ruby also noticed one scar that stood out, fresher than the others. It ran on the inside of her arm from her wrist to her elbow. It looked self inflicted.

Ruby's anger evaporated as she watched the shell that was her older sister.

She didn't hear Russel step up beside her and almost jumped when he put his hand on her shoulder.

"You going to be alright with them here, boss?" He asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine." She replied, nearly silent but he heard.

A few minutes later Weiss and Blake caught up at the doors where Yang was waiting then the three went in together. Ruby couldn't help but notice how the two had seemed like they were ready for persecution from any direction. Looking like the guilty walking to their execution.

\-------------------------------------------

The three girls arrived in Ozpin's office to find him in his chair, facing the window.

"So you've dared to return." He said, almost darkly.

"We have to finish our training." Blake said calmly, trying to defuse the temper of the explosive blond next to her.

"Very well, scurry on then, finish your classes." Ozpin said dryly.

"You not even gonna look at us?" Yang asked, irritated.

She started making her way around his desk, he could see her scarred reflection in the glass of the window.

Ozpin looked over at her, meeting her gaze. Both remained that way for a long moment, neither looking away.

"I hear you have spent countless hours training. Your uncle seems to think you've been trying to die a warrior's death." Ozpin noted. "Why bother returning?"

"Because she would have wanted me to." Yang replied simply, her expression between blank and angry.

Ozpin nodded, looking Yang over, all the scars…

"Fine. Like I said two years ago, your suspension is lifted as of today. I suggest you three go get settled in." Ozpin said at length.

Yang turned and started for the door.

"Are we to remain short a member? Leaderless?" Weiss asked meekly.

Ozpin turned to face them.

"Yes, I will not trust you three with another life. And no, Weiss. You always wanted to be leader, didn't you? You believed it should have been you before. Well, here you go, you are the leader now, Ruby isn't around to stand in your way anymore." Ozpin explained coldly.

Weiss flinched but nodded, turning to follow Yang's lead to the door.

Blake drifted after, a silent little shadow.

Once they were gone Ozpin opened a lower drawer of his desk and pulled out a bottle of whiskey, adding a shot to his coffee before replacing it in the drawer.

\--------------------------------------------------------

The elevator ride was a quiet one, neither Blake nor Yang questioned the decision to make Weiss leader. It almost seemed like another ironic punishment. When the doors opened and they stepped off they were met by Sky Lark.

"I just wanted to apologize for earlier." He said, falling into step beside Weiss.

"It's alright, I'm sure I deserved it." Weiss said dryly.

Sky turned around and started walking backwards so he could look Weiss in the eyes.

"No, no, Red was having a bad day and you just kinda set him off, that's all." Sky explained.

Weiss saw that there was a support pillar in line with Sky, he would run right into it, she was sure. He didn't even look, keeping his gaze on her as he side-stepped and avoided it.

"Red is a really good leader. Dove, Russ and I have learned a lot, like respect and courage. I just don't want you to think badly of someone who is such an honestly good person." Sky explained.

"I don't know why my opinion is such a big deal." Weiss said, cold and distant.

"It's not that, I just, Red is not anything like Cardin. You bumped into each other on a bad day, that's all, Red is really cool I promise, just don't let the outburst earlier bother you. That's all." Sky explained.

Weiss nodded. "Thanks for clearing that up."

She offered him a smile but her eyes showed a deep sadness.

Sky nodded, smiling warmly and heading off the other way, deciding not to bother her anymore.

Yang stopped suddenly, causing Blake to walk right into her and Weiss to do the same to Blake, both staggered back and watched as Yang turned.

"Hey, Sky!" Yang yelled, her voice very scratchy at that level.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"What happened to Cardin?" She called, her voice trying to fail her.

"Yes, he should have come back this year too." Blake noted.

Sky paled, remembering what happened in gruesome detail.

"He's dead..." Sky said, his face pale. "Hit by a truck."

Sky stumbled off, looking like he was having an argument with his gut about whether or not to keep lunch.

Yang gave a slight grunt then continued on to the dorms.

Once they got there they saw Nora in the hall ahead, she had already spotted them and was running over.

"Oh, I can't believe it! You guys are leaving, it's so stupid. Two years is so long!" Nora proclaimed.

"Wait, what are you talking about Nora?" Blake asked, confused.

Ren stepped in beside Nora and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her a bit to look in his eyes.

"Nora, it's been two years, they are just getting back today." He explained calmly.

"Oooh, that's right!" She exclaimed, running over to hug the three.

"It's been so long, I've missed you guys!" She said cheerfully.

The team cast a confused glance at Ren.

"Short term memory loss." He explained.

"Yeah, I kinda got shot in the head." Nora said, somewhere between excitement and disappointment. Nora let the three go and stepped back, lifting her hair and turning her head to show the scar. "Every time I go to sleep I forget the entire day."

"How did you survive that?" Weiss asked.

"I was saved by an angel." Nora smiled back.

"I see..." Blake said, not fully believing her.

"It's true, Ruby's spirit started protecting us a while back." Ren explained.

Yang pushed past the others and headed for their room.

Nora watched Yang in confusion then looked to Ren.

"Why is she upset? Who is Ruby?" Nora asked.

"It's alright, don't worry about it." Blake said, smiling sadly as she understood.

"Welcome back, guys." Ren said, offering his own sad smile.

"Thanks." Weiss said, she and Blake moving to follow Yang.

They followed Yang into their old room. They found it with the lights already on and the room set back to way it had been originally, no bunk beds.

They had all expected that, what they didn't expect was to find Glynda standing by the window waiting on them.

"Professor Goodwitch?" Blake asked, closing the door behind her.

"Good afternoon, girls... I hope he wasn't too hard on you." Glynda said, turning to face them and offer an apologetic smile.

"It was deserved..." Weiss said quietly.

"No. It wasn't." Glynda said firmly.

All girls looked to her, falling silent. They hadn't expected her to take their side.

"I don't want you to take what he says personally. Honestly, I doubt he is truly angry with any of you. He is only upset that he is mad he didn't see things sooner, notice them in time to save her. You are just caught in the crossfire." She explained.

"He seemed pretty sincerely angry with us." Blake pointed out.

Glynda sighed, pushing her glasses up her nose and leaning on the bookshelf by in front of the window.

"That is because of the depth of his wounds." Glynda said sadly.

" _His_ wounds?" Yang snapped hoarsely.

"There is a lot more to this situation then you realize." Glynda went on. "You see, Ruby reminded Ozpin of his own daughter, who would have been about your age by now. I can see why, they were a lot alike."

"Would have been. Past tense." Weiss noted, sitting on the bed to Glynda's right.

"Yes... She died when she was only ten, house fire." Glynda explained. "Ozpin always blamed himself for not being there. He was out on a hunt and came home to find his house burned to the ground and his daughter dead."

Yang sat on the bed opposite Weiss, calming down as she started to understand.

Blake sat next to Yang and Yang scooted away a little, which Glynda took silent note of.

"What about the girl's mother?" Blake asked.

"Out of the picture." Glynda dodged, continuing without another word on that matter. "The authorities wouldn't even let Ozpin see her body. Varis had to be identified by dental records."

"She was home alone then?" Weiss asked.

"Her nanny should have been there, but the woman has never been seen since that night." Glynda explained.

"So he feels like he lost his daughter twice." Weiss summed up.

Glynda nodded. "And this time he got to see all the gruesome details. Trust me, this hasn't been easy on him. He blames himself and at the same time can't acknowledge that so he pushes the blame elsewhere, which just happens to be you three."

They all nodded, the mood in the room was gloomy to say the least.

Yang looked up and caught Glynda's eyes, noticing the pain there.

"What happened to his wife?" Yang asked, clearly in pain to speak.

"He never married." Glynda shrugged.

"So who was Varis's mother?" Yang pressed.

Glynda looked away. "A friend of his. He wanted to be a father and asked a close friend to help him accomplish that."

Glynda looked back up and to each of the girls in turn, changing the subject. "I just hope you can forgive him for his actions. I hope you understand he is in just as much pain as you three. While I don't agree with the way he's acting I understand it's because he is only barely handling this situation."

All three nodded, understanding and not holding any grudges.

"Good, hopefully he will get past this and stop treating you all so badly. Until then though, just try not to take any of it personally." Glynda said, standing to leave.

She stopped and knelt in front of Yang, taking her hands. "And Yang, if you ever need anything, do not hesitate to ask me. I will always be here to listen."

Yang nodded, smiling sadly.

Glynda stood again. "I can tell something has happened between you three, I hope that you work through it, because those who can truly help you through these dark times, is each other."

Glynda started for the door then, just as she had the doorknob in hand Yang spoke once more.

"I'm sorry about your daughter." Yang's hoarse voice was filled with sympathy.

"Me, too." Glynda said, taking just a moment to recompose herself before opening the door.

Glynda stepped out to find Red standing in the hall reading something on her scroll and scratching her head.

"Are you lost, Rosewick?" Glynda asked.

"No, just trying to figure out what Russel is talking about." Ruby said absently then headed towards her teams' room.

Ruby was very glad Glynda had not seen through her little ruse, now knowing how hard this whole thing had been on Ozpin, Ruby felt more than a little guilty. She returned to her dorm too lost in thought to hear the commotion inside. Once she opened the door the scene on the other side was a slap back to the here and now.

It seemed all three of her teammates had gone to the showers and were now back, but being bored instead of just getting dressed like sane people, they had started chasing each other about using their towels as weapons. Their bodies covered in welts from all the towel popping. Ruby watched as a naked Sky jumped over one of the beds to avoid a strike from Dove only to be struck across the butt by Russel with his towel. Sky let out a girlish squawk of pain and laughter.

Ruby closed the door. "Nope."

With that she wandered off to be alone with her thoughts.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Weiss had nearly finished unpacking. They had all fallen into an uncomfortable silence after Professor Goodwitch left. Weiss knew the reason for her team's tension so she decided it best to get out of their hair and let them talk it out.

"I'm gonna go for a walk." She said, breaking the silence.

The other two nodded but did not say anything. Weiss slipped out of the room, walking the halls and trying to pretend she had never left, that nothing had ever happened. Weiss was barely out of the room when Blake spoke up.

"Will you ever even look at me again?" She asked Yang.

Yang growled in reply and continued what she was doing.

Blake set down her bag and walked over. Yang ignored her. "I'm sorry. How many times must I tell you before you believe me?"

Yang only growled.

Blake put herself between Yang and the drawers she was putting her things away in.

"I will not just let you growl at me and that be the end of this conversation!" Blake said defiantly.

Yang shoved her roughly out of the way. Blake stumbled then got right back into place.

"We **will** talk this out." Blake insisted.

Yang shoved her again and again Blake got right back in the way.

"Yang, please. I love you, I miss the person you used to be. Please, snap out of it." Blake said pleadingly. Yang shoved her out of the way again. Blake sighed and took a moment to fight back tears before getting in the way again.

"Talk to me!" Blake snapped at her.

Yang glared at her. "How can I trust you? After what you and Weiss did?"

"You were not yourself. I needed you, but you weren't you. Every time you walked out those gates into the wilderness I had to accept the fact that you probably wouldn't come back." Blake explained.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Yang snarled, her voice still not seeming to sound right.

"We all know why you went out there. Yes you may have been after revenge on the Grimm, but it was the 'take as many as I can before they take me' sort of revenge." Blake snapped back.

Yang grunted, knowing Blake was right.

"But that is over... isn't it? Can we please move on?" Blake asked, only to have Yang shove her away again.

Tears rimmed Blake's eyes as she got up again.

"We've all made mistakes and those have left us all miserable but it doesn't have to stay this way forever. Yang..." Blake reasoned.

Yang shoved her away again, fighting back her rising anger. Blake stood and again got in Yang's way.

"Please Yang. I know it is a lot for me to ask but... forgive me." Blake pleaded, watching as Yang's eyes turned red with rage.

"Move." Yang growled the warning.

"I swear to you it will never happen again." Blake went on, refusing to budge.

Yang snarled, fist pulling back and swinging hard, connecting with the side of Blake's face and sending her flying into the wall.

Blake hit the wall with a loud thud and fell to the floor. The wall where she had hit was now badly cracked.

Blake didn't move at first and Yang watched, thinking for a moment she might have killed her. Blake pushed herself up from the floor, cheek quickly swelling and blood seeping from her lips. Her tears fell freely but still she stood, stumbling over to Yang. It was clear she was hurt.

Yang didn't move, red eyes glaring angrily.

Blake hugged her. "I deserved that so I forgive you for it."

Yang growled at her, starting to pull away.

Blake hung on tighter. "I love you Yang."

Tears filled the angry red eyes and she still tried to pull away.

Blake refused to let go, she rested her head on Yang's shoulder and started purring.

Yang froze, her anger melting. "I didn't know you could do that."

"It's not something I would do for anyone else." Blake explained, still purring and holding Yang tightly.

Slowly Yang's eyes faded back to lavender as her anger drained away and she started to return Blake's hug. With a shudder and a sigh, Yang let her tears fall, burying her face in Blake's hair.

"I love you, too." Yang whispered back, holding Blake warmly, her voice not cold for the first time in a very long time.

\-------------------------------------------------

Weiss wandered around campus, trying not to think about the fight that was likely going on between Blake and Yang. She knew though, nothing would be resolved if she stuck around and Glynda had a good point, they did need to work through these problems.

Passing blame and misery around was not going to bring Ruby back or grant her memory any honor. Weiss sighed, rubbing the inside of her right forearm as she walked.

It had been two years and all of them still felt both guilty and responsible for Ruby's death.

Perhaps Ozpin wasn't completely wrong in blaming them, Weiss thought. She wondered if Ruby blamed them for her death. Ren and Nora had mentioned seeing her angel... But Weiss and the others hadn't seen her. That angel never showed up once to protect Yang.

Weiss sighed again, glancing around and realizing she had wandered to the balcony where she first complained to Professor Port that she had wanted to be leader of team RWBY.

Frowning she walked over to one of the benches and sat, looking out over the buildings as the sun dipped low.

"Something is troubling you Miss Schnee?" Came Professor Port's voice.

Weiss nearly jumped out of her skin, having been so absorbed in her thoughts.

"Always, these days." She replied as he stepped into view.

"Ah... May I?" he asked, motioning to the spot on the bench beside her.

She nodded and he sat.

"So I hear you have been made leader of your team." He said after a moment.

Weiss sighed heavily. "That seems to be the case, yes..."

"You don't seem very happy... Isn't that what you wished for?" Port asked her.

Weiss looked over at him with tear filled eyes. "No, not like this. Not at the cost of Ruby's life."

Port nodded.

"I don't deserve this. I tried to follow the advice you gave me but I failed, I am a terrible person and because of that Ruby is dead." Weiss said, tears falling faster than she could wipe them away.

Ruby was walking down the hall, passing the balcony when she heard Weiss talking. Curious she hung around, just within earshot but pretending to be reading messages on her scroll.

"You think your actions alone could have saved Miss Rose?" Port asked her.

"It would have made a huge difference. I doubted her, I let that get between us and tear our team apart. The last thing I ever did was slap her and call her horrible things... All because I believed a stupid rumor." Weiss sobbed, rubbing the inside of her right arm again.

"Now, now, don't be so quick to believe these were other factors at play as well. Besides, you are only human, we all make mistakes." Port said, trying to offer some comfort to the distressed girl.

"It doesn't change the past." Weiss sniffed, wiping her eyes again.

"Dwelling on it will not change it, either. All you can do is move forward, learn from your mistakes and become better for them." Port explained.

"I don't think I can, no matter what I do I always seem to only get worse." Weiss said, looking off into the sunset with blurry eyes.

"I wouldn't say that was true. You are going through hard times right now but, I think you can weather this storm and become stronger for it. While the circumstances are unfortunate I can actually see improvement in you as a person." Port explained.

"Really?" she asked hopefully, looking over at him and rubbing her arm again.

"Yes. Dear child, why do you keep rubbing your arm like that?" He asked.

Weiss glanced down and then clamped her left hand over her right arm. "It's... just another reminder of my mistakes."

"Is that so?" He asked, curious as to what she meant.

With a sigh she decided there was no point in keeping secrets. Weiss slipped her arm from her jacket and showed him the scar that ran from her wrist to her elbow, a match to the one on Yang's arm.

"Miss Schnee..." Port breathed, seeing what she had tried to do.

"Blake and I... We betrayed Yang... It was unintentional but, still we did. When she found out the three of us got in a huge fight, by the time it was over we were all miserable and, well, there seemed no point to anything anymore. So, we decided to rejoin Ruby in the hereafter. The three of us all have this scar, we sat together, only cutting one arm to make it slower, more painful, because we deserved it. Yang's father found us though, took us to the hospital so, here we are. Quite alive." Weiss explained, slipping her arm back into her jacket.

"Death is never the answer." Port said, still a bit shocked.

"I really do hope you are right. We already hit rock bottom, the only place to go from there is up, right?" Weiss asked, sounding almost hopeful.

"That is right. Good luck." He offered.

"Thank you." Weiss smiled, with that and the sun nearly gone they got up to go their separate ways.

Ruby slipped off into the hall ahead of them before they ever saw her.

Weiss returned to her team's room, hoping for the best but fearing the worst. She opened the door quiet and slow, peeking in before even entering. The lights where off, there was a large dent in the wall…

Yang and Blake were cuddling together in one of the beds, Yang holding an icepack to Blake's face and Blake. Blake was _purring_.

Weiss gave one of her rare warm smiles and slipped back out again before they noticed her. She decided it best to leave them alone for a while longer. Still, she was very glad for the outcome, even though it looked like they had had a bit of a scuffle.

Weiss walked alone down the hall, allowing herself feel a little alright, like things were normal. Not really watching where she was going she bumped into someone.

It was Sky.

He smiled and held out a hand to help her up. "Sorry about that."

She took the offered hand and eyed him with suspicion. "I really don't understand you."

He chuckled as he pulled her to her feet. "Like I said, Red is a good leader and we have changed a lot."

"I see." Weiss said, not sure what to think of this new Sky just yet.

"So what are you doing out alone at this time of day?" He asked.

"I could ask you the same." She pointed out.

"Fair enough, I was gonna go raid the vending machines in the cafeteria." He smiled.

"I was just out for a walk really." Weiss explained, being fair.

"Ah, I see, well if you have no better destination how about you join me for a soda?" Sky asked, offering his arm.

Weiss smiled, for the moment pushing her troubles to the side.

She took his arm. "I'd love to."


	5. Guilt's Reprieve

Ruby returned to her teams dorm, finding Russel and Dove helping each other with homework.

She walked in and plopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Hi, Boss." Russel said, looking up from his papers.

She waved absently and he got the hint she was needing to think.

Even after two years they felt responsible for her 'death' and she really hadn't intended for them to feel guilty this long.

She never wanted them to try to end their own lives.

She wondered what exactly Weiss meant by her and Blake betraying Yang.

Ruby realized that they would likely continue blaming themselves if she didn't do something, and Ozpin wasn't helping matters any.

She lay there, remembering the night she had run away. The pain she'd been in, the way they had betrayed her. Then, she remembered going to Roman and she smiled warmly. It had all be worth it.

She forgave her old team for treating her the way they did because she had gained something far better.

Forgiveness.

That was the key.

Ruby sat up. "I have to find a way to get Ozpin to let go of the past... Or at least stop blaming them."

Russel and Dove looked over at her curiously.

"And I have to find a way to... hmmmmm..." Ruby pondered.

"Need help doing things, Boss?" Russel asked.

"Possibly... I think I'm going to need a wig... And I need to get into Ozpin's office." Ruby stated.

Ruby picked up her scroll and messaged Roman, she was glad he had gotten himself a new one.

_I need a wig like my old hair style._

She waited and after a moment got a reply.

_I figured you would at some point, already have one._

She smiled, hopped up and looked to her two confused teammates.

"If I'm going to sneak into Ozpin's office I should do it as the ghost of Ruby, that way if I get caught or seen it will look like just another 'appearance' like when team JNPR has seen me." She explained.

They both nodded.

About then Sky returned, smiling to himself.

He looked up and saw Ruby, his expression turned a bit guilty.

"What's with you?" Ruby asked.

He looked away, then to the floor, trying to find the right words.

Ruby was patient, waiting on him to speak up.

"I well... um... Would you... be upset if I..." He looked at her, she stood patiently. "If I were to ask Weiss out?"

Ruby blinked, not expecting that and taking a moment to process it.

"I mean, if your not cool with it I won't. I just... really like her..." He explained hastily.

She felt a bit odd having this conversation but she decided there was no harm in it.

"Well, I think you could probably do better than her. Still, if she's the one you wanna go out with who am I to stop you?" Ruby said, somewhat toneless.

Sky smiled again. "Thank you."

Ruby nodded. "Anyway, I am heading out for just a minute guys, gotta run home and get something."

Sky gave her a puzzled look but the other two nodded.

With that she headed out to fetch her motorcycle.

\-------------------------------------------------

When she got to Roman's apartment it was late and he was already in bed.

Ruby moved quietly, not wanting to disturb him and found he had hung the wig she requested on Crescent Spirit, which was leaning against the wall by the tv.

She grabbed the wig and a small duffel bag to carry everything in. She packed one of her dresses and her cloak as well as the gold eye contacts.

Even though she moved around the bedroom as quietly as she could, suddenly Roman got up.

Ruby turned and smiled at him, he looked a bit like a zombie, the burn scar on his face not helping that much.

He didn't seem to even notice her, just ambled out of the room.

She shrugged and went back to what she had been doing.

Once she had everything she thought she might need she slung the bag over her shoulder and headed for the door.

She passed Roman, he caught her arm and hugged her, kissing her before letting go and wandering back to bed.

\---------------------------------------------------

Ruby returned to Beacon, it was getting pretty late by now and she returned to find her team had crashed. She set about getting dressed, leaving her clothes and eye patch under her blankets in a bundle.

She then slipped out the window and cut across the campus.

Ruby was careful not to be seen, which was a feat in itself considering the white cloak.

She got to the main building to find it locked which was no trouble for her, she pulled out the all-key she had gotten from Roman. It was a little device about the size of a scroll. It had security clearance to get her anywhere.

Once the door was unlocked she slipped in and closed it behind her. She took the elevator up to Ozpin's office, again using the all-key to get in.

Looking around Ruby tried to decide how she was going to leave him a message... It was hard to figure out how to leave a message from a ghost.

She spotted her old laptop and smiled, glad he still had it.

She walked over to it, finding it looked like it had seen a lot of use since she had left it with him.

Turning it on it booted and then the Minecraft pre-game menu popped up, he had it set to auto start the game.

Ruby opened the log in and replaced Ozpin's with her own info, logging on to the server.

She hadn't seen it in two years and she wondered what all would have changed.

She was surprised to see that her tree house was now surrounded by a large glass box, beyond that she could see it was also guarded by a nether brick fence on all sides.

\------------------------------------------------------

Ozpin was sitting in the floor, leaning against the side of Glynda's desk in her apartment. After having a rough day she had insisted he come over and play Minecraft with her. Even his excuse of 'I left my laptop in my office' hadn't worked, she insisted he use her extra.

So here he sat, on the floor following her around the game with little interest.

Both of them froze when a message appeared on the screen.

CookieHuntress has joined the game!

Both professors watched in silence as the message faded away, both then pressed the key to bring up the messaging screen. There it was, plain as day.

"Are you seeing this or have I lost my mind?" Ozpin asked Glynda aloud.

"I am." She confirmed.

She was the first to send a message.

TheGoodWitch: Who are you?  
CookieHuntress: It's me, Ruby. Don't you remember my username?  
TheGreatOz: How did you get your hands on that account? Who are you?  
CookieHuntress: It's me I swear.  
TheGreatOz: This isn't funny.  
CookieHuntress: It's not a joke.  
TheGreatOz: Ruby is dead.  
CookieHuntress: I know I am, I need to speak to you, and you wouldn't believe how hard it is to manipulate electronics now.

Ozpin looked up at Glynda, not sure if he should believe what he was reading. She only offered him a troubled look and a shrug.

CookieHuntress: I haven't got long. I wanted to tell you that I don't blame you for my death. It isn't your fault, it was out of your control and there was nothing to be done.  
CookieHuntress: Besides, it is in the past. I don't blame Blake or Weiss or Yang either, they had no idea what would happen and it is my own fault for letting them doubt me.  
CookieHuntress: I love all of you and beg that you forgive yourselves. I can't rest knowing you are suffering because of me. It's time to lay the past to rest and move on.  
CookieHuntress has left the game.

Both Glynda and Ozpin sat in silence, watching that last message fade.

Glynda closed the game, brought up the server information, opened the logs and read the IP address of the computer that had logged on as CookieHuntress.

"She was using the computer in your office." Glynda said, turning to look at Ozpin.

His face was unreadable.

Silently they logged off the game and headed for his office. They got to the main building to find everything still locked, just as they had left it.

Once in his office they found nothing had been disturbed and the laptop was off, though warm from use. Turning it on and looking at the login information there was only Ozpin's to find.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Ruby got back to the dorm, thoroughly exhausted. She had to climb back in through the window and that had not been an easy task, now she quickly changed clothes and hid her real ones, again wearing the outfit of Red.

She crashed soon after, hoping what she had done would work.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Early the next morning Ozpin returned to his office. He found a report on his desk, from the color of the paper he knew it was sensitive and to be destroyed after reading it. He was surprised when he found it was from Professor Port.

The report detailed a conversation with Weiss Schnee from the day before.

Ozpin made up his mind on some matters as he placed the papers in the shredder.

\------------------------------------------------------------

The same day Weiss and her team returned to classes, resuming where they had left off but with a new set of faces in class with them. They kept to themselves and Yang said nothing that entire morning, not grumpy, just not wanting to use her voice unless necessary.

Still, she did seem to be in a better mood than the day before, even smiling at Blake a few times. After lunch they were heading back toward the classroom when they spotted Professors Goodwitch and Ozpin walking towards them. They couldn't turn down the other hall if they wanted to make it to class on time so they all braced for dirty looks and mean remarks.

They received nether.

Ozpin stopped, there was sadness in his eyes but not the anger they had already become accustomed to.

"I presume you three are readjusting without too much difficulty?" Ozpin asked, not a single condescending note in his voice.

Behind him Glynda's shocked look turned to a warm smile.

The girls looked at him in confusion a moment before nodding.

"Good. I would like to apologize for my earlier behavior. It was unfair. You have suffered your punishment and it is time to carry on." Ozpin said, offering a warm smile.

The girls looked to each other then back to Ozpin.

"It's no biggy." Yang said with a shrug, her voice hoarse.

Ozpin stepped forward and rested a hand on Yang's shoulder.

"I'm glad you decided to return. You're right, I think that is what she would have wanted. I also hope that once you graduate from here you are able to put your strength to good use helping people instead of just killing Grimm." Ozpin said, stepping back again. "I think she would have wanted that, too. You can't do anything but hurt those who care about you if you put yourself in an early grave. And that goes for all three of you."

The three of them looked back at him with tears rimming their eyes but they all nodded.

"Good, I should let you get to class." Ozpin said with a nod, he took his leave.

Glynda looked greatly relieved. "That is something I would take to heart."

She then moved to follow the headmaster.

Classes went by fairly quickly that day, team WBY splitting up for the evening.

Weiss headed for the fountain where she had promised to meet Sky. She had been surprised how much he had changed, he was no longer the childish little prick who followed Cardin like a puppy.

He had actually become a decent person.

Just as she rounded the last corner to the front door someone grabbed her, pushing her into the maintenance closet. Weiss blinked, looking at the person pinning her to the wall. It was Red.

"I want to get just one thing straight with you." Red growled.

"What?" Weiss asked.

"That if you hurt Sky I will pummel you into the ground, and if he ends up dead like some of your other past lovers, I will kill you." Ruby said darkly, she was on the fence on whether or not she hated this.

On the one side part of her was still mad at her and the fact that Sky liked her was getting on her nerves. On the other she wanted Weiss to be happy and move on from the past.

Either way she had to be protective of her team.

Weiss gave her a hurt look. "Trust me, I've learned from my mistakes."

Ruby nodded, letting Weiss go.

Weiss left the closet, straightening her uniform and heading for the doors, for the fountain.

She was still trying to lighten her mood when she reached it and found Sky waiting on her. He gave her a warm smile and she returned it with a slightly troubled one.

"Something on your mind?" He asked.

"Nothing, just... I bumped into your leader again." She said, trying not to make it sound like a big deal.

"Oh, Red yell at you again?" He asked.

"No... He um, he's a good leader, does his research and he's protective of you guys, that's all." She said, waving the thought aside.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Ruby was making her way across campus when she saw Ren and Nora sparring. Jaune and Pyrrha stood off to the side watching. Nora used a new move to block Ren's attack then stood silent, seeming unsure how she had done that. Ren laughed, though.

"Good, it has taken a week but you got that one down, too." Pyrrha smiled.

"How? I don't remember learning it..." Nora said, looking confused.

Ren hugged her. "Muscle memory."

"That is what we figured out to help you learn new moves and attacks." Pyrrha explained.

"And I bet you've had to tell me like a million times too." Nora sighed.

"Nah, only about ten." Juane said, brushing it aside as it was no problem.

Nora smiled. "Thanks guys."

"And that right there makes all the repetition worth it." Ren stated, causing Nora to blush.

Ruby smiled as she continued on about her way, glad for them.

Suddenly her scroll buzzed and she answered the call, surprised when she saw it was from Russel.

"Hey Boss, any chance you are out and about?" he asked.

"Yeah." She replied.

"Cool, near the library by any remote chance?" He asked.

"Not far, why?" Ruby asked curiously.

"I need a book called Grimm Nightmares by Violet Dragonian for my project, would you do me the huuuge favor and grab it for me?" He practically begged.

"No problem." She smiled, ending the call.

Ruby found her way to the library and while looking around saw Blake and Yang there.

Yang was half asleep at one of the tables next to a stack of books while Blake scanned a nearby shelf for something. It felt so strange to Ruby, to be in the same room with her sister and be a complete stranger to her.

She went to one of the computers to find out where the book Russel needed was located.

She noted it was in the section next to Blake and sighed, she hadn't wanted to risk conversation with either of them. Ruby got up and headed over, scanning the shelf for the book she was looking for. She couldn't seem to find it.

"Are you looking for a specific book?" Blake asked her, causing her to jump.

"Yeah, Grimm Nightmares." Ruby replied. It felt so strange to speak to Blake like this.

"Oh, It's over here. I had it set aside in case I didn't find anything better to read but if you need it." Blake explained, walking over to the table.

Ruby followed, standing right next to her sister whom was almost snoring.

Blake handed the book over. "I've read it before, it's about a huntress who is stung by a Death Stalker and goes into a nightmare realm, forced to run from monsters that look like her own friends and try to find a way back to the waking world."

Ruby took it, examining the cover. It was black, nine different personal symbols spread out over the cover under the title. She guessed the symbols belonged to the characters of the story, that seemed most logical after all.

The author matched the one Russel had requested.

"That sounds really cool." Ruby noted.

"Ruby...?" Yang asked, sitting up suddenly and looking around. Both Ruby and Blake stood silent. Yang's shoulders slumped, her hope fading as she realized it was just a dream.

"Thanks." Ruby said to Blake, raising the book as explanation.

Blake nodded and Ruby took the book to the counter to check it out.

That done she headed out of the library quickly, for some reason she suddenly wanted to get away from Yang. When she returned to the dorm she found Russel alone, papers spread out and several books open. She walked over and handed him the book he'd asked for.

"Oh, great! Thanks, this will help a lot." Russel smiled at her.

"No problem." She smiled back. Glancing down at his work she could see that he seemed to be doing research on symbolism and dreams.

Ruby flopped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. "Where is Dove?"

"He said something about drama and humans annoying him or something like that." Russel grumbled.

"Problems?" Ruby asked, turning a concerned look his way.

"Nothing big..." He sighed.

"Don't let it become that." Ruby said, picking up on his mood all too well. "Something big. A doubt can cause a lot of problems. If you two don't work it out I will beat you both into the ground."

"Thanks, Boss..." Russel sighed, going back to what he had been doing.

Ruby let the matter drop, glancing out the window and seeing a massive storm rolling in. Much like the one from the night she had run away.

A smirk crossed her face. "Tonight."

"What?" Russel asked, glancing over at her.

"Ruby will visit her old team tonight, after the power goes out." She said, looking over at him and grinning mischievously. Russel only nodded, already understanding what she had in mind.

Sky returned a while later, smiling to himself and seeming in another world. Dove returned some time after that, seeming tired and irritated.

"Alright." Ruby said suddenly, casing all three sets of eyes to settle on her.

"Tonight I need your help. When that storm gets over us nice and strong we need to cut the power from all of Beacon. I will be visiting my old team and forgiving them. After that I may need help to get away from them unseen." Ruby explained.

They nodded and set to work putting together a plan. By the time they were ready, so was the storm. It was dark out and most everyone else in school was now settled in for the night.

Sky and Dove took off to get into position to cut the power. Ruby got dressed and then her and Russel went outside to wait for the signal. While waiting under the cover of the large umbrella Ruby noticed there was a candle lit in team WBY's window. She smiled softly to herself.

Her scroll buzzed with a message from Dove and she sent the confirmation then started climbing the tree outside of her old room's window.

Russel waited out of sight.

\----------------------------------------------

Weiss had been going over notes with Yang when suddenly the power went out, leaving the three girls lit only by the candle in the window.

They glanced at each other in the near dark, all a little creeped out.

After a few minutes the window suddenly flew open, blowing out the candle. They were bathed in darkness as the sound of a cloak whipping in the wind cut the air. Weiss called on her semblance, placing a large glowing glyph on the floor, flooding the room in cool white light.

When their eyes adjusted they all looked to see the white cloaked figure standing on the bookshelf in front of the window.

Though the hood was pulled up they all knew Ruby's warm smile.

"Ruby..." Yang breathed, her voice barely cooperating.

Ruby nodded, still smiling.

Blake, from her angle could see more clearly under the hood at the glowing golden eyes and black red hair.

"You haven't aged..." Blake noted.

Weiss stood, conflicted as tears fell.

"I came to say that I forgive you for that night, for those words, for those insults and accusations. I forgive you for your doubts and for falling for a lie." Ruby said calmly, warmly. "I came to tell you that I love all three of you, that I want you to be happy, to love without guilt. I want you to live without the burden of my death weighing you down. I do not blame you, so do not blame yourselves." She told them. "I wish I could have told you sooner, but I was not strong enough to reach you across the waves."

There was a crack of lightning outside, followed by a loud roll of thunder.

"I haven't got long. I want you to live, to love, to laugh and be happy. Move on and leave the past where it lies. Stop blaming yourselves, I forgive you. Weiss, do not feel ashamed or guilty to fall in love again, I will not fault you for it. Blake, do not fear to speak your mind. Yang, dear Yang. Live. Live for us both. Don't give up. I know you can do it, me and mom both believe in you and love you. Take care of yourselves and each other, okay?" She gave a short pause to look at them each in turn, all to shocked to really respond.

"Goodbye." Ruby finished, tapping her semblance to seemingly disappear in a cloud of rose petals, the vacuum left behind her was strong enough to pull the windows closed.

She fell to the ground hard because of it though. The dust weaved into her body healed her before she got to her feet. She and Russel hurried inside with him helping her out of the wet cloak and into a hoodie and pants. They stuffed the wet clothes into the bag and Ruby hurriedly changed contacts. While she did that Russel sent the signal to restore the power to the school.

Soon they were all back in their room, no one having seen anything.

\------------------------------------------------------

Weiss, Blake and Yang sat in the room in silent tears, none of them able to speak yet. The mix of emotions they all felt left them silent. When the power kicked back on they halfheartedly returned to what they had been doing beforehand. It was Blake who finally broke the silence.

"Nora was right... She's like an angel." Blake said softly.

"I just... How could that have been real?" Yang asked, her voice causing her more pain than usual.

"We all saw her, she was there!" Weiss stated. "And we all saw the evidence, the crime scene, she can't be alive."

"Still, it seems so strange, you see this in stories but not in history, this isn't something they teach you in class." Blake stated.

"She forgave us. Maybe that is all we need to think about right now." Yang pointed out.

The other two nodded, agreeing.

"It's the best way to honor her, following her last wish for us." Blake said, smiling bittersweet.

"Whether we feel we deserve it or not." Weiss said, closing her eyes.

\---------------------------------------------

The next morning Ruby woke to the sounds of Dove and Russel arguing.

"Well it's not like I do that on purpose, it's just how I am!" Russel snapped.

"You could at least try!" Dove snapped back.

"Okay, sure, mister perfect." Russel sneered.

Ruby hurled her pillow at Dove before he could reply.

"That is just a warning." She grumbled from her bed.

"He started it!" They said at the same time and pointing to each other.

Ruby rolled her eyes and got up, moving to stand in front of them.

"What started this?" She asked.

They gave her a list of things, talking over each other.

When they finally finished she glared at them.

"You are both wrong." She grumbled.

They frowned.

"If you admit to yourselves that you are in the wrong then you can admit to each other that you were wrong. Once you do that it is fairly easy to let things go and move on." Ruby explained then returned to bed.

The argument cooled, becoming a hushed conversation that ended with the two of them hugging.

Ruby smiled, glad she could help.

\-----------------------------------

Later that day Ruby spotted her old team, talking to each other and seeming much more comfortable around each other. Even Yang was smiling. Ruby felt better, everyone seemed to be getting along better and that was definitely good.

That feeling faded when she found a crowd gathered around Jaune and Sky who were arguing.

"You don't even know what you have!" Jaune yelled at Sky.

"Right, cause you do." Sky sneered, looking like he really wanted to deck Jaune.

"Actually I do!" Jaune snapped back.

"Wow, yeah, coming from the guy who let Cardin blackmail him." Sky jabbed.

Jaune snarled at him. "At least I wasn't on a team with that jerk."

"At least he and I were both here legally, unlike you mister 'fake papers'." Sky snapped, angered by the comment about Cardin.

The crowd fell silent, several students stepping out of the way for Ozpin who had heard the last bit.

"Is that true?" He asked.

Ruby pushed her way in before Jaune could answer, she punched Sky and looked at Ozpin.

"Don't listen to him!" She said forcefully. "He's being an idiot."

"Alright." Ozpin said with a dismissive shrug and walked off.

Everyone seemed confused.

Ruby picked Sky up and held him so his face was just inches from hers. For the sake of those gathered she yelled at him anyway.

"Don't you _dare_ use something like that again when you don't know the truth!" Ruby roared.

\----------------------------------------------

"Are you sure it is a good idea to just drop the matter that easily?" Glynda asked Ozpin as they walked away.

"I already knew about his faked papers." Ozpin stated.

"Oh." Glynda sighed.

"I wanted to see what he was made of and so far he is not disappointing me." Ozpin added.

\---------------------------------------------

Ruby adjusted her hold on Sky so she could drag him by the back of his shirt as the crowd dissipated.

"Thanks." Jaune said and she waved the thought away, not even looking at him, too angry with Sky. She marched off, dragging Sky in much the same way as the day she had knocked him and the other two out cold.

Ruby heard another set of feet fall into step beside them.

"That was really despicable." Weiss growled. "I thought you had changed."

"I have! _He_ started that fight!" Sky defended.

"Even if he did, you shouldn't go saying things to get someone thrown out of school!" Weiss snapped.

"He was saying you were too good for me, that I don't deserve someone like you, maybe that's true but I wasn't going down without swinging back. Then he insulted my dead leader and I don't think you would stand for that anymore than I could. Even though Cardin wasn't the best person that's beside the point." Sky explained.

"You were fighting over me?" Weiss asked, her anger faltering.

"Yeah... I mean, I wouldn't use such a low blow for any other reason. He just, made me that angry." Sky sighed.

Weiss quickened her pace and caught up to Red. "How long are you going to be mad at him?"

Ruby stopped, turning to look at her, then down at Sky and his bloodied nose and back to Weiss again.

"He's all yours." Ruby said, handing Weiss the bit of shirt she'd been dragging him by. Once Weiss took it Ruby walked off.

\-----------------------------------------------

Rain started spitting down from the puffy gray clouds over head as Ruby walked back to the dorm alone. She felt cold and missed Roman terribly. Still, she had left school recently to get her things so she could forgive the others from beyond the grave, then again if those items were found she would be discovered. She decided she would sneak out that night. Rain or none.

She reached the dorm to find Dove reading the book Russel had had her fetch for him and Russel writing down his reactions in a notebook.

She didn't disturb them, just made sure everything she needed to take back to the apartment was ready to go. Sky returned a while later with two pizza and some sodas. He dropped one box on the bed in front of Dove and Russel handing them each a soda then walked over to Ruby's desk where she was studying.

He placed a soda next to her homework and then held the box open for her. It was a small pizza with her favorite toppings he seemed to have gotten just for her.

"I'm sorry about earlier." He stated.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." Ruby grumbled at him, taking the box.

"I got one for team JNPR too." Sky explained. "Delivered it in person. Jaune threatened me but I think we agreed to disagree."

Ruby nodded approvingly.

Sky moved over to sit by the window and watch the rain as he sipped at his own soda.

"You eat yet, bro?" Russel asked, holding a slice out for him.

"Yeah, went out with Weiss." He replied, inadvertently glancing at Ruby, afraid she would be mad. She didn't look up from her pizza and homework, apparently not caring or not having heard.

"Awesome." Russel said then ate the rest of the pizza.

Eventually Sky went to do his own homework, having apparently stared out the window long enough to clear his mind. He was still working on it by the time Dove and Russel where getting settled in bed and Ruby was getting ready to leave.

Sky didn't ask where she was heading, it was easy enough to guess.

\----------------------------------------------

It was raining harder now but she didn't really care, her things were safe in the duffel and she was wearing a heavy jacket and helmet so it really didn't bother her much.

Ruby got on her motorcycle and headed into town. She drove through the pouring rain, the road slick and shadowed, she was careful, knowing one mistake would have someone scraping her off the pavement. Soon she made it to the apartment. By the time she got there she was soaked.

Roman wasn't home.

Ruby sighed and went to the bathroom to grab a towel.

As she dried her hair she noticed a number of creams and salves and vitamins spread out on the counter, he was doing everything he could to help his face heal as best it could. She unpacked her bag, knowing she couldn't stay out too late since she had classes tomorrow.

"Please come home..." She sighed to the empty apartment. "I need you, Roman..."

She was sitting alone in the bedroom when she heard the front door open.

She smiled, about to get up and go greet him when she heard voices.

"We will be able to talk here, Cinder hasn't got any ears on me." Roman was saying.

"Good, that could be bad if she did. I think she already suspects." Came a female voice Ruby didn't know.

"Don't worry, we can do this. We just have to wait for the right time." Roman said, seeming happy about that decision.

"Yes but what will the right time be? We need to get this operation moving." The woman said.

Ruby felt her stomach knot up. Who was she? Why had Roman brought her here of all places? Even if it was safe from Cinder there had to be other safe places to talk... He never brought people here for business.

"Would you like something to drink?" Roman asked.

"Sure, you know what I like Roro." She replied.

_A nickname?_ Ruby wondered.

"Don't call me that." Roman said grumpily.

"Don't be so sour, geeze." The woman said.

They fell silent and Ruby debated her options.

She had wanted to see Roman but he was obviously busy. She was trying not to doubt him and yet that is exactly what she was doing. Slipping out the bedroom window wasn't an option, the fire escape was not usable and she didn't want to fall four stories to the ground.

"Here you go." Roman said, apparently handing her a drink.

"Thanks Roro." The woman giggled.

"Dammit, Neo..." Roman said, trying not to sound amused.

Ruby couldn't stand it anymore, she got up and left the bedroom.

There they stood, Roman still wearing his coat but not his hat. Next to him was a short woman, or maybe girl, she looked younger than she sounded. She had long hair that was pink on one side and brown on the other with streaks of white. She wore a twin tailed pink and white coat that didn't fully cover her front and a brown corset. She glanced over at Ruby, seeming surprised, one eye was pink and the other was brown.

She was wearing Roman's hat.

"Red, how long have you been here?" Roman asked, smiling at her.

"A while." She said, her tone even.

"What's wrong?" He asked, frowning.

"Who's she?" Ruby asked, still toneless.

"Oh, her? She's my cousin Neopolitan Torchwick. Red, Neo, Neo Red." He introduced.

"Oh... Hi.." Ruby said, relaxing.

"Hello." Neo smiled then turned to Roman. "She's the one you talked about all the way here?"

Roman nodded. "That's her."

"I see," She glanced at Ruby again. "I don't know how you can stand him."

"Oh she does more than that." Roman grinned lewdly.

"Oh, no. TMI, dude." Neo said, scrunching up her face in disgust.

Ruby fully relaxed at that reaction. "So not cheating on me... Good."

It took a second for that to click for both Roman and Neo, when it did though, Roman had the look of someone who had seen something that could not be unseen.

"Oh, nonono." Neo said, waving her hands in the air and stomping off to the kitchen. "Where is the bleach? I need bleach for my brain."

Ruby chuckled, thinking she might like Neo.

"Do you really think I would do that to you?" Roman asked Ruby incredulously.

"No... It's been a rough few days." Ruby sighed. "I just wanted to see you."

Roman stepped over and hugged her. "It's getting late though and you have classes tomorrow."

"I know." She sighed, hugging him back.

"It must have been really rough to drag you out, then. I'm glad to see you though." Roman said, holding her tight.

Neo walked from the kitchen to the bathroom. "How do you not have any brain bleach?"

Ruby started giggling.

"You two are cute though." Neo said, walking over to them.

She stopped and looked Ruby over. "Especially you. You ever thought about being with a woman? If you get tired of him I'm single."

"Been there, done that, not going back." Ruby shrugged.

"Neo! Quit trying to steal my girlfriend!" Roman snapped, holding Ruby protectively.

Neo shrugged and walked over to the couch, flopping onto it and sipping her drink.

"So, how are you two related exactly?" Ruby asked.

"Remember me telling you about the uncle who gave me this scar?" Roman asked, pointing to his head.

Ruby nodded.

"That'd be me pop." Neo filled in. "I take after my mom."

"She was just a baby when they died." Roman explained.

"Oh." Ruby nodded, putting the pieces together.

"I've got more backbone though." Neo went on.

"Your mother had backbone, Neo, she was a good and strong woman. She just didn't have the fighting ability to protect herself." Roman said, showing sympathy for the dead woman in question.

"I wouldn't know." Neo said with a dismissive shrug.

"Anyway, Neo here will be helping me get a bit of revenge on Cinder." Roman said, changing the subject.

"Oh, I see." Ruby nodded, getting sleepy.

"You should stay here tonight." Roman said.

"No, I have to get back." Ruby argued.

"You look like you are about to pass out." Neo pointed out.

"Yeah... I better go." Ruby sighed, hugging Roman even tighter before letting go.

Not able to change her mind about staying, Roman insisted on following Ruby as far as he could. Neo rode with him as they followed the little red motorcycle back to the bridge to Beacon.

"You really do love her, don't you?" Neo asked as they followed.

"Yes." Roman said honestly.

"So, our little plan is even more important than I realized..." Neo said, looking out the window.

"Yes... You just do your part of getting the Faunus to take our side." Roman stated.

"Oh, don't you worry about that one bit." Neo smiled.

\---------------------------------------------

Ruby made it back without incident. Walking into the dorm she found her team all snoring loudly and she smiled, having grown accustomed to that over the past couple of years.


	6. Dark Schemes

Things seemed to calm down for a couple of weeks with little going on and Ruby really able to focus on her classes for a change. She saw the drastic improvement in her old team as time went by as they finally let go of the pain of loss, at least enough to move on.

It was a bright sunny day when Weiss joined her team at the cafeteria for lunch. She was there to spend time with Sky, but the other two talked to her as well. Ruby pretended she wasn't there.

"So, your team name is still CRDL? But Red's initials are RR right?" Weiss asked.

"My middle name is Calypso." Ruby said, not looking up from her meal.

"Oh, I hadn't heard of anyone's middle initial being used before." Weiss admitted, trying to keep conversation up.

Ruby said nothing more.

"It did cut down on any confusion." Russel said around a mouth full.

Dove elbowed Russel in the side for being rude.

"So, is your team still going to be a member short?" Sky asked gently.

"Looks like it. That is what Professor Ozpin said when we first got back and while he has loosened up, he hasn't said anything about changing his mind and none of us have asked." Weiss explained.

"Why not? Your team is at a disadvantage with only three of you." Sky said worriedly.

Weiss shook her head. "I'm not so sure about that. We have been through a lot the last two years and I think an outsider might not mix well. Besides, we work well as a team, I think we can cover our own shortcomings with experience of working together."

"I hope you're right, I just fear losing you." Sky explained.

Weiss blushed. "Aw..."

Ruby tuned them out at that point, not caring to hear their mush.

She looked up when Glynda entered the cafeteria.

"Students, classes are canceled for the rest of the day. We have a student missing." Glynda said, loud and clear enough to cut the noise in the cafeteria. "Anyone wishing to participate in the search please gather at the main courtyard in fifteen minutes."

The cafeteria fell into quiet murmurs.

Ruby got up and headed out, not waiting to see if her team would follow. She got her weapon from the locker room and went to the courtyard. Something just didn't feel right. She was glad to see she wasn't the only student to have done this, all of team JNPR were already armed and waiting.

Her old team and her new team were not far behind in this along with Velvet and her team as well as a few others. Within fifteen minutes most the school had gathered.

Ozpin and Glenda stepped forward, quickly the crowd silenced without a word from them.

Beside him were Cinder and Mercury, Cinder was crying. Ozpin started saying something about the missing transfer student and asking student to help find her, giving a description for those who didn't know her.

Ruby didn't catch most of it, knowing something was up.

Cinder had something up her sleeve.

After he finished explaining Ozpin started assigning sectors to search, having long since worked out this search party plan. Everyone set out.

Ruby followed along, noticing how Cinder was left behind in hysterical tears. She definitely had something planned. Once her team had gotten well into town she turned to them.

"Something is wrong, the missing student isn't a real student, neither are the other two. You keep looking, I'm going back to find out what she is up to." Ruby stated.

"Be careful boss." Russel said, concerned, but not arguing her orders.

Ruby nodded and headed back to school.

She had to dodge other search parties but once there she found Cinder had knocked out the person who had stayed with her and was now taking dust from a backpack and fusing it into supporting walls of Beacon's main hall.

The dust was the type that would explode on command.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, stalking up on Cinder and changing White Rose to it's scythe form, silently wishing she had Crescent Spirit instead.

"I can't let you do this." Ruby said darkly.

Cinder stopped what she was doing and turned to face Ruby.

"Really? You think you can stop me? Because if you fail and I get away I will kill that lover of yours. Slow and painful." Cinder threatened seductively.

Ruby gritted her teeth and snarled but she couldn't attack now... She would hurt Roman…

Cinder smirked and turned her back on Ruby, returning to what she had been doing before.

She couldn't let Cinder do this either, if she did... Ruby realized how many people would die. Clenching her weapon tightly and sending a silent apology to Roman, Ruby rose her weapon to strike. The blade made a whistling noise as it cut the air and Cinder dodged out of the way, turning with a shocked look at Ruby.

That look turned to amusement and she drew dust out of the backpack, making swords and charging Ruby in the tight quarters. Ruby blocked the first few attacks but then had to start dodging away, Cinder was fast. She managed to put some distance between them in a hall, shooting at Cinder.

Cinder stopped the bullets much as she had the first time they had fought. Ruby had to dodge the glass crystals that Cinder conjured and flung next. Just as Ruby was aligning herself she saw Professor Port charge Cinder from behind. He was too close for her to dodge by the time she saw him, having to roll with the hit as he struck in a side sweep.

"You are not a real student!" He snapped, raising his weapon to shoot at her.

Again Cinder blocked the bullets as Ruby charged in, scythe raised. Port had to reload and that gave Cinder time to dodge Ruby's attack. The elevator dinged as someone reached their floor.

Cinder rolled away from another swing from Ruby, coming up and flinging a fireball at Port before he could fire again, he tried to dodge but it hit him sidelong.

James Ironwood stepped off the elevator, quickly taking the scene in and sending his men after Cinder. She spat under her breath and ran. Ruby and Ironwood's men pursued.

Cinder threw fireballs back at her pursuers, forcing them to weave and duck and fall behind. They chased her to the edge of the cliffs overlooking the city. Just as they thought they had her trapped she dove off the edge. She and the men reached the cliff and looked over, only to be nearly knocked down by the force of a Bullhead rising fast. Ruby spotted Emerald piloting it, Cinder safely inside and throwing fireballs at them.

Ruby and Ironwood's men had to scramble to dodge as Cinder escaped. Unable to follow, Ruby and the others returned to the main building where medics were now treating Professor Port's wounds. Ironwood was talking to the wounded professor in quiet tones.

"She escaped." One of his men informed him.

"Damn..." Ironwood snarled.

Ruby looked at Professor Port, his wounds were severe and she wasn't sure how much good the medics could do, they were getting him ready for transport to a hospital. Still, the professor offered a reassuring smile through his pain. "Worry not... I've, been through worse."

The medics carried him away and Ruby couldn't help but think how he'd likely been younger back then.

"Do you know who that woman was?" Ironwood asked.

"I don't know her personally but she has been posing as a student for about two years." Ruby said, watching the medics carry Port away in order to cover her half truth.

"Damn... We need to get everyone back immediately. What was she doing?" He asked.

"Weaving explosive dust into the building, I saw her do it to that wall, I don't know how much else she managed to get." Ruby informed him, meeting his eyes.

He nodded and stepped back into the elevator.

Soon everyone was returning to Beacon in a hurry. Ozpin was unreadable and Glynda was furious. Mercury was nowhere to be found but Ruby's team rushed over to her, asking her what happened and if she was alright.

"I'm fine, just, really irritated..." Ruby sighed.

"You were right though." Dove said encouragingly.

"I know, but there are a lot of consequences." She explained.

Ruby then got out her scroll, messaging Roman.

_FireQueen will be angry. Likely homicidal._

Ruby hoped that was enough warning, she couldn't give too much detail with so many people around.

"Maybe so... Still, we got a bit of hurt in on them too." Russel grinned.

Ruby looked up, waiting for more explanation.

"That dude that was with the crying chick, we cornered him. Confronted him about what was really going on and he attacked us." Sky explained.

"I know you disapprove of a three on one fight but he was good, dangerous like Yang.. I think the wound I gave him should mess him up bad though." Dove added.

Ruby looked between them, worried.

\----------------------------------------------------

Roman read Ruby's messaged and sighed. "Great..."

Suddenly Roman was hit with wind as Cinder's bullhead entered the base and landed.

The two women stepped out and Cinder was clearly furious, stalking toward Roman with a murderous look in her eyes and fire in her hands.

"I take it things didn't go well." Roman said nervously.

"That little wench of yours got in the way and ruined two years of planning!" Cinder snarled.

"What do you expect me to do? She's known you've been up to something just as long!" Roman defended.

"She wouldn't have known" Cinder started but Roman interrupted.

"She is very smart actually. She would have figured it out one way or another, I'm sure of that." Roman interjected.

"Oh really? And how do I know you haven't been giving the little whore information?" Cinder snarled.

Roman narrowed his eyes. "I don't tell her anything, for her own sake. You had best watch what you say Cinder."

"Or what?" She dared.

Roman was about to say more when Mercury stumbled in and cut him off. "Cinder... they know..."

"Mercury!" Emerald cried, running over.

Cinder growled and turned to see what was going on.

Mercury was covered in blood, his left hand was grasping his right side tightly yet that didn't seem to stop the bleeding, there was blood dripping from his mouth as well.

"What happened?" Emerald asked panicked and took his other arm to help support him.

"Someone figured us out... They attacked me.." He explained. "There were six of them."

"How much did they know?" Cinder asked, momentarily forgetting Roman.

"Enough to be..." he coughed. "Trouble." He wheezed.

"Looks like we need to move on to phase three." Cinder mumbled. "And quickly."

Mercury coughed, shuddering and crumpling to the floor.

"We need to get him help!" Emerald shouted, looking at Cinder pleadingly.

"Those wounds are fatal. He will be dead by the time we get him to a doctor." Cinder said, walking off without another glance.

"No!" Emerald shouted, holding Mercury close. "No..."

"She's... right..." He said weakly.

"No..." Emerald denied again, looking back to her friend. "Not like this..."

"Better than getting old." He coughed, more blood spilling down his chin.

"Please, don't leave me... Not like this!" She sobbed.

"Be... strong..." Mercury told her, squeezing her hand.

As his grip loosened the light faded from his eyes. His hand slipped away as did his life.

Mercury was gone.

Emerald sat alone, holding the body of her lifelong friend.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Emerald screamed, tears falling.

Roman cringed at the earsplitting scream but then looked at the girl. She had just lost the only person in the world who cared about her. He knew no matter what Cinder told the girl she didn't care, never did and never would. Roman sighed, he knew that kind of pain. He held his ears as she let loose another earsplitting scream. He then grabbed something she could wipe away the blood and tears with and took it over to her.

She looked at him sceptically then, looking in his eyes she realized something. He understood. She took the offered cloth and buried her face in it, crying. Roman placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It will be hard. These kind of wounds never heal, no matter what people say about time. It will grow more distant but it will always hurt. The best you can do is chose to move on, to live for both of you. You can let this destroy you, or strengthen you, teach you." Roman said, speaking from experience.

"How..." Emerald said as Roman stood to leave. "How do you know that?"

"I was in your place a long time ago." Roman explained, leaving it at that. He was walking away but paused. "Just remember who was here for you."

\-------------------------------------------

Cinder decided she could deal with Roman later, now she had more pressing matters to attend to. She opened the door to her office and reached for the light, but froze as she felt a cold, slender blade press against her collarbone.

"If you harm a so much as a hair on Roro's head, the next time we meet like this you won't know I was here until your blood is flowing over those luscious breasts of yours." Neo purred seductively into Cinder's ear.

Cinder snarled at her as she backed away. "Why do you care so much? As long as that little red nuisance is around you won't have a chance with him."

"Chance with... No. Ew, why must everyone assume that?" Neo said, making a dirty face. "No, goodbye, I need brain bleach again."

Cinder glared at her as she left, she hated it when people, her people challenged her power, but Neo was an unknown and she couldn't risk attacking her just yet. With Mercury dead she was already down a good henchman so she decided to leave Roman alone for now.

\-----------------------------------------------

Ruby rode the elevator alone. Things had calmed down quite a bit in the past couple of hours. Ozpin had found anyone disciplined in working with raw dust and had them start searching for and removing the dangerous dust from the buildings. Weiss had been among them. Even with their training they were having a difficult time with it but it wouldn't be impossible.

She reached the top floor and entered Ozpin's office, he, Ironwood and Glynda where all there, having a discussion when she arrived, they fell silent.

"We were hoping you might have more details on what happened." Ozpin said.

"I already told you about what she was doing and how she attacked me when I caught her. The girl we all thought was missing was piloting the bullhead she escaped in." Ruby explained.

"Her other accomplice hasn't been found yet." Glynda informed. "Do you have any idea where he could be? Was he with them?"

"Actually, he attacked my team in the city, they said they caught him talking to someone on his scroll about a hideout to the southeast." Ruby replied, though she had actually heard Roman talk about it when he thought she was sleeping and had to answer a call. "He attacked them and they fought back, they said they put him in rough shape before he fled."

"I see." Ironwood nodded, turning a look at Ozpin.

Ozpin seemed not to notice.

"Sir, with all due respect, I cannot let this injustice go nor can I leave this fight unfinished. Let me and my team help in whatever you plan against them." Ruby asked.

"That gives me the distinct impression you will be involved with or without my blessing." Ozpin said, tilting his head.

Ruby said nothing.

Ozpin watched her a moment then nodded. "I will call on you when the time comes. For now, you may go."

Ruby nodded and turned, heading back out and downstairs.

\---------------------------------------

Supper was held in the cafeteria that night, no one was allowed to enter the dorms until they had been fully searched and cleared of explosive dust. The dorms had been saturated with it.

Weiss was given a break and sent to get something to eat. When she did she sat with Sky. Ruby had gotten up to get a second helping and on her way back noticed Blake, Yang and Pyrrha at one of the far tables by the wall. She continued on her way but Russel hopped up to ask her a question, his hands out.

Ruby suddenly had a flashback.

"How bout you and me tonight, eh?" Russel asked.

Ruby shook the memory away as he reached for her, now seeing Russel just looking at her confused.

"What did you say?" Ruby asked.

"Can you help me with my homework tonight?" He asked again.

She couldn't hide the look of queasiness and mix of emotions at the realization that Russel had been the one to grab her.

"You okay, Boss?" He asked, looking worried.

"We'll talk later." She said, setting the tray down and walking out.

She felt like everyone was watching her in that way..

Russel moved to follow her.

"Boss wait, did I say something that upset you?" Russel asked, grabbing her arm to stop her. She turned, not able to hide the look in her eyes, fear and shock, she was fighting hard to not relive that moment two years ago.

Russel's eyes widened as recognition hit. His features filled with shame and regret but that was not enough to stop her from pulling away and leaving. She walked until she found a tree to sit under as she fought hard against the rising panic. The memory of that day flooding her awareness and made it hard to think of anything else.

And it had been one of her own teammates.

It had been Russel.

How could she not have realized before?

That nightmare still had grip on her, making it hard to see the open and empty courtyard, her mind's eye showing her the cafeteria two years back.

The coldness of her sister and Weiss.

The hungry looks from all the boys with questionable morals.

It was hard to breathe.

She felt someone's hand on her shoulder. Heard voices.

Ren, Nora.

She opened her eyes. It wasn't Ren or Nora though, but Sky and Weiss. They both seemed worried.

"I'm fine." She croaked, not realizing till then she had been crying.

"You don't look fine." Weiss stated.

"Why do you care? You are here for him, not for me." Ruby said, making sure her voice strongly reflected her desire for Weiss to go away.

"I know you don't like me and while I do care about Sky that is not the reason I am worried about you. You are obviously a good person, you have been a great leader who cares about his team. I respect that and while I can't call you a friend even though I wish I could, that isn't going to stop me from being concerned when you are upset." Weiss explained.

Something about all that coming from Weiss did a lot to ease her nerves.

She sighed, nodding. "Thanks..."

Weiss smiled. "Feeling better yet?"

"A little... I need to talk to Russel. Alone." Ruby stated.

The others nodded, backing away and motioning him over before leaving.

Ruby patted the spot next to her and Russel sat.

"I'm sorry..." He said weakly.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" She asked.

"I thought you remembered." He explained.

"If I had I would have punished you for it a lot sooner." Ruby growled.

"I deserve whatever you have in mind... I was a fool for doing everything Cardin told me to. I wasn't even interested in girls..." Russel sighed.

"Bet you couldn't let him know that." Ruby noted.

"No. Never. He would have beaten me into the ground and left me there to die." Russel said miserably.

"I forgive you." Ruby said, letting go of the whole thing.

"You... Really?" He asked, surprised.

"Yeah, it was just a shock, that's all." She explained.

"I've changed... I've become a better person thanks to you." Russel said, thinking on how much his views of the world had changed. They sat in silence a while before finally rejoining the others.

"You okay now?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah." Ruby said, offering her a smile.

\-------------------------------------

The next day, after everyone had had time to rest, the dust had been rooted out and removed, Ozpin called a meeting. He had everyone gathered and gave a speech about how the last war ended eighty years ago, that those who fought in that war were the ones to start the tradition of naming their children after colors. How the peace that everyone enjoyed was their responsibility as huntsmen and huntresses to uphold.

He explained that everyone would be taking jobs and helping out where they could.

With that, he dismissed the meeting so everyone could check the electronic job boards waiting nearby.

Ruby lead her team to one of these boards to see if there was an area in the southeast they could take a job and start looking for Cinder.

Ozpin stepped over to join them, looking at the board with them and waiting on them to notice him.

"Hello, sir." Ruby said, taking note of him almost immediately.

"Hello, Red." Ozpin nodded back. "Your team is already signed up to go with a Hunter to clear Grimm in sector five."

"That's in the southeast." Sky noted.

"Quite a popular area." Ozpin noted.

"Thank you." Ruby smiled.

"Don't thank me. You will have to fight for your very lives out there, and if for some reason the hunter doesn't see your skill as to his liking, he can and will send you back." Ozpin stated and walked off, as he was wont to do.

Ruby and her team looked to each other, unsure.

"Good luck." Ozpin added.

Ruby lead her team to the air dock where their huntsman was waiting. To their surprise it was Professor Oobleck.

"Don't bother bringing anything but your weapons as I have already packed and prepared everything we need. We will be leaving in ten minutes so we mustn't dally." He said, speaking in the manner only those on too much caffeine can.

He then zipped off to the bullhead they would be taking.

"Professor Oobleck..." Sky said, sounding traumatized.

"We are all gonna die." Russel said, much the same.

"Ozpin must truly hate us." Dove complained.

"Oh come on, he is not that bad." Ruby offered.

Her team groaned in argument.

"Good luck." Came Weiss's voice behind them.

All four turned to see her, Blake and Yang flanking her, she smiled.

"Thanks" Sky smiled brightly, then hugged her.

"You come back safe." Weiss ordered.

"Don't worry, I will." Sky promised.

"Four minutes!" Oobleck yelled from the bullhead.

"Well, I guess we should get going." Ruby smiled.

"Good luck." Blake said, Yang holding double thumbs up and smiling.

With that Ruby lead her team to the Bullhead.

They watched as the ground fell away. Weiss stood on the dock waving as Sky waved back. Ruby looked away. She thought of Roman, wondering, hoping he was alright.

The world zipped by and soon they were out of the kingdom.

"So where exactly are we going?" Dove asked.

"Mountain Glenn." Oobleck answered.

"That failed expansion of Vale?" Dove asked.

"That would be it, yes." Oobleck nodded.

They went on but Ruby tuned them out, worried about Roman and wondering if he was alright, if he was would they find him there?

When she next looked up she saw that the bullhead was lowering to the ground so they could jump out. A desolate city lay before them. Ruby followed Oobleck and her team followed her. Once on the ground the Bullhead left them and headed back to Beacon.

"So what is the plan?" Ruby asked the Professor.

"Spread out and search. If we find Grimm we may be able to track them to their pack, which will likely be drawn towards the negative energy a massive underground crime organization would be putting off. So, in short, when we find a high concentration of Grimm, we find what we are looking for." Oobleck explained at breakneck speed. "Do not hesitate to defend yourselves though."

Ruby nodded and motioned her team to start looking. They started in a diamond pattern and soon found themselves under attack. Oobleck stood back, drank his coffee and watched them fight. They cleared a large area and searched several buildings but found no signs of anything but Grimm activity.

Oobleck picked a building and called for them to make camp.

Ruby was lagging behind the group when she heard a loud rumble. She paused, looking around and noticed cracks crawling across the road around her.

She realized what that meant and the ground under her started to give way, she moved to run but then the chunk of road she was standing on fell and she found herself hanging by a couple of fingers over a dark pit.

"Help!" She cried out.

Oobleck and her team turned to see the hole and rushed over, Russel dared to creep across one of the slanted chunks of road, reaching for her. She tried to swing her other hand towards him but lost her grip and fell. Russel had to jump back before he fell in after her as the chunk of ground gave way.


	7. Pain and fame

Ruby fell through the darkness. It was quite the drop but not so bad she was seriously hurt upon landing. It wasn't a soft or pleasant landing though. She looked around, dazed, and saw she was lying atop one of many buildings deep underground.

"The hell was that?" Someone nearby asked. She looked over as two members of the White Fang got up and walked away from their game of cards.

Ruby stumbled up to her feet and reached for her weapon, only to find it missing and realized she had dropped it when she began to fall. She didn't see it nearby either, it must still be above ground.

One of them grabbed her. "You shouldn't be here."

"Let me go!" She snapped, struggling away and punching him.

She knocked him off balance but the other guy was fast to kick her in the face, hard, sending her to the ground.

"She's got fire... The boss will want to see this." The one that kicked her said then kicked her again, knocking her out.

\------------------------------------------------

Oobleck and the rest of team CRDL stared into the hole in silence.

"Red! Can you hear us?" Oobleck called but there was no answer.

"We have to go in after!" Dove said, moving to jump in the hole.

Oobleck stopped him.

"No, we have no idea how deep that is or if your leader even survived. If he did we need to assume that this is deeper than it looks and we should find another way down. If we just jump in we may get hurt or killed and what use will any of us be then?" Oobleck asked scoldingly.

Dove sighed, looking away. He knew the professor was right.

"Then what do we do, Professor?" Sky asked.

"It's Doctor! I didn't just earn a PHD for fun, you know." Oobleck said, turning that same tone on Sky.

"What could possibly be down there?" Russel asked.

Oobleck froze, remembering something, he then slapped his own face. "Of course! How could I be such an idiot!"

"What are you going on about?" Dove asked.

"We are not just looking for an underground crime organization." Oobleck said, getting in the boy's face. "We are looking for an underground crime organization!"

"You mean they are using the caves under the city?" Dove asked.

"Not just caves. Mountain Glenn was the first serious attempt at expanding the city. It was filled with working people who lived here and traveled to the main city via metro tunnels. When the perimeter fell and Grimm started attacking they moved into the metro tunnels and sealed themselves off from the surface, this worked for a while but then an explosion opened the mouth of another tunnel filled with subterranean Grimm. When that happened Vale sealed off the tunnel and Mountain Glenn became the worlds largest tomb." Oobleck explained.

"So we need to find a way down there." Sky surmised.

"Precisely." Oobleck said, shifting his thermos into weapon form. They spread out, looking for an entrance to the metro tunnels.

\-----------------------------------------------

When Ruby came to she found she was being dragged by the two who had caught her. Rather than fighting them she took that moment to look around and see what she and the others were up against.

The White Fang were everywhere, they were handling crates of dust and weapons.

The two were dragging her along the train tracks, one of the missing Schnee company trains was nearby.

She also noted that many, almost more than half, were wearing red ribbons on their arms. She wasn't sure what that was about. The two dragging her were also wearing the ribbons.

They stopped next to one of the train cars.

"Hey boss! We found something!" One of them called.

"Is it good or bad?" Asked a familiar voice, Ruby smiled. "Because, let me tell you, I have had a day."

"Uh, it's a girl?" He replied.

Roman leaned out of the train car to look. "That would be baaaad."

The two holding her looked at each other, not sure why that would be so bad.

"Bring her in here, I'll deal with her." Roman said coolly.

They did as told, setting her in a chair he indicated.

Once they were gone Roman turned to Ruby.

"Why did you have to come here? And get caught, for that matter? Now I'm going to have to tie you up and keep you prisoner." Roman sighed.

Ruby shrugged. "Sorry, I kinda dropped in."

Roman shook his head and picked up a rope. "Hold still."

"Aww, can't I have a kiss first?" Ruby pouted.

Roman paused then nodded, leaning in close to her.

His face was inches from hers when she smiled sadly. "Sorry, love."

She felt bad when she saw the confusion in his eyes.

She tucked her knees in and kicked hard, sending him flying out of the train car. She hopped to her feet, caught his hat out of the air and put it on. She scooped up his dropped weapon and followed him out, jumping down from the train car and aiming his own weapon at him.

"I apologize for dropping in so unexpectedly, if one of you will be so kind as to show me the way out I won't kill your boss." Ruby bluffed.

"You are getting really annoying." Cinder said, stepping out of the shadows beside the train.

Ruby turned, aiming at her instead.

Cinder raised her hand, twisting her wrist as she did.

Suddenly all Ruby knew was pain. A white hot agonizing pain that left her wishing for anything to stop it, even death.

Roman watched in horror as Ruby's skin glowed, and she twisted in pain as she was lifted off the ground. Melodic Cudgel fell out of her hands.

Cinder smiled wickedly. "You see, my semblance is ultimate dust control. Even though I am well disciplined in using dust raw, I can use my semblance to control dust completely, doing whatever I wish with even the dust in your body."

Cinder flicked her wrist and Ruby screamed in agony, blood dripping from her ears and nose.

"Stop, you're going to kill her!" Roman snapped.

"That's the idea." Cinder smiled darkly, using the dust in Ruby's body to rip her apart from the inside out.

Roman gave no further warning, he raised his weapon and fired at Cinder, knocking her back and breaking her concentration. Cinder flew back several feet and Ruby fell from her position fifteen feet in the air. She didn't move.

Cinder staggered to her feet, furious. "I'll kill you!"

Chaos erupted around them as those White Fang wearing the red bands turned on the others. Roman fired more shots at Cinder, driving her back, away from the motionless Ruby.

Cinder was deflecting the shots but so focused on Roman she didn't see Neo appear beside her, shooting her point blank and sending the woman flying into the confusion of the fighting faunus.

Roman took that moment to hurry to Ruby's side, fearing the worst.

Ruby was bleeding from her nose, ears, mouth and tightly closed eyes. Her breathing was weak, ragged and she was unresponsive to his attempts at waking her. A silent rage built in Roman, his eyes flicking to the crowd, searching for Cinder. She would pay for this.

Neo rested a hand on his shoulder. "We have to go."

He growled but nodded, knowing she was right. As he started to pick Ruby up someone else stopped him. It was Emerald. "Her team is here, let me take her to them."

With a sigh he nodded and turned, leaving with Neo. Gently Emerald scooped the wounded girl up and headed off the other way. Cinder climbed to her feet, still dazed. The White Fang was fighting all around her, though she saw far less of those wearing red bands now, thought to her disappointment she didn't see them dead on the ground, either.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oobleck led Ruby's team into the tunnels to find the enemy fighting amongst themselves. Using the chaos to their advantage they started searching for Ruby.

They had not gotten far in when the girl with green hair dropped in from the building in front of them. She was holding their missing teammate.

She smiled at them, leaving Ruby on the ground and taking off to join in on the fight. Oobleck watched her go, suspicious.

Sky picked Ruby up, looking to the others. "She's hurt bad."

"Let's get out of here." Oobleck said, turning for the way they had come in.

The others didn't argue, following him.

Ruby vaguely saw her team for a moment before the pain dragged her into the blackness again.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cinder struggled through the crowd, back towards Roman who she would kill on sight. She froze though, hearing a loud noise, followed by a whistle and the screeching of metal on metal.

The train.

He was stealing her stolen train!

It was then she noticed that there was more red banded Faunus in front of her then behind, making it harder for her to get through, she only made progress because they were fighting towards the train as well.

Cinder found herself flying back again, thrown into her own forces.

The remaining red-bands jumped onto the train and one used his semblance, summoning a force-field that blocked all attempts of the others of boarding the train or attacking them.

Cinder roared in frustrated fury as the train sped away into the darkness, leaving her with a fraction of her forces and dust. Emerald stepped up next to her. "We should get out of here, Red's friends from Beacon came and got her, this place will be crawling with officials soon."

Cinder growled and turned to her remaining force. "You heard her, gather everything up, we have to get out of here!"

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ruby awoke in a hospital room. She still felt pain in every inch of her body but it was less now, dull. Though she was able to open her eyes the movement was sluggish. She turned her head to look around and that took much effort. Her team was gathered in chairs, all having dozed off.

When she tried to move her arm it went numb with the command. She frowned, that was more than a bit unnerving. Anything she tried to do other than moving her face or head was met with the same results.

She was paralyzed.

"Guys...?" She managed, her voice slurring more than she wanted. They woke with a start, her pitiful voice bringing them out of the light sleep.

"How do you feel, Boss?" Russel asked.

"Can't move." She said, near panicked.

"It's okay, the doc said you would be paralyzed but that it would wear off." Dove explained calmly.

"I hope he's right." Ruby sighed and they all nodded.

"Oh, hey you got a message on your scroll a while ago." Sky said, moving to the side table to pick it up.

"Who from?" She asked.

"A contact called 'unlisted'" He explained.

"That's Roman, what does it say?" Ruby asked.

Sky opened the message and read aloud. "Don't worry about a thing Red, you just focus on recovering, we have things handled."

Ruby frowned, wondering what he was talking about.

She sighed. "Message him back, let him know I trust him and love him but I'm out of the fight for a while."

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Whoooo!" Roman howled, elated.

Neo chuckled, watching Roman drive the speeding train and enjoying himself.

"To imagine," Neo chuckled. "Our family, plagued by tragedy is now rising to the height of society."

"If all continues to go as planned, yes." Roman smiled.

Neo leaned back, watching the trees speed past them. Roman found himself lost in thought, remembering how he'd met her.

_It had been raining hard, cold and dreary. The bright yellow flowers Roman carried were defiant in the face of the depressing scene. He entered the graveyard and walked along the gravel drive. He'd had to park at the street because the gates were locked._

_Still, nothing had ever stopped him from bringing flowers to his sister's grave before. He walked to the far side of the graveyard, here on the older side was another shorter wrought iron fence. He approached the gate, facing the graves of his great grand parents inside. His grandparents and great aunt and uncle's graves flanking them._

_Entering he noticed a girl standing to his left, looking at the graves of his aunt and uncle which were placed facing their elders._

_Their eyes met and both stood silent for a while._

_Finally the girl looked away, returning her gaze to the graves. Roman shrugged and walked over to the group of four plots beside his parents. Two of the stones were engraved, his sister's and his. Alternating with theirs were two empty plots with blank headstones. The one between theirs would always be empty, the one beside his was reserved for his wife - if he ever decided to marry._

_He knelt, ignoring the fact that the grass was wet and placed the flowers at her gave._

_"Happy birthday, sis." He sighed, again as always wishing she was alive. He felt eyes on him and looked up to see that girl watching him with those odd miss matched eyes of hers. She had one eye pink and the other brown. Her hair was much the same but opposite her eyes. She had been smart enough to bring an umbrella, staying mostly dry while Roman was soaked._

_She looked familiar to him so he stood and approached._

_"Who are you?" He asked._

_She pointed to the empty plot next to his aunt. The stone read. 'Neopolitan Torchwick'._

_"So, my uncle's kid huh?" Roman sighed. "You remember me?"_

_She looked at him again and shrugged._

_"Don't blame you, we weren't there long... You were about three?" He asked._

_She knew what he meant, recognition flickering across her face as she remembered. "Four, I was four. You are her brother, aren't you?"_

_Roman nodded._

_She held out her hand for him to shake. "Call me Neo."_

_Roman grinned, taking her hand and shaking it. "Roman is fine with me."_

Roman was drawn from his memories by the sound of his scroll.

He waved Neo over to take over driving the train as he pulled it out to read it.

_This is Sky, Red is paralyzed but the doc said she will be fine. She said she trusts you and loves you but she is out of the fight for the time being._

_Tell her I said she better hurry up and get better. And that I love her too._

Roman sighed, putting his scroll away.

"We're nearly there." Neo smiled as the trees fell behind and open plains greeted them. As they neared the junction Roman leaned out, raised his weapon and shot the lever. It groaned in protest, having not been used in years but did it's job, switching the direction of the tracks.

Neo slowed the train slightly, keeping it steady on the sharp turn towards the coast. At the caboose there was a member who waited for them to pass the junction fully so he could shoot the lever and switch the track back again, insuring no one would follow them.

They rode the long, winding way toward the abandoned city. Roman didn't know the name of the place or how Neo had found it, all he knew was that it had been abandoned during the war eighty years ago, the battle had taken a toll on the isolated city that had been faring fine against the Grimm until then.

It was well out of sight from the main track they had left behind. Neo slowed the train as they neared the desolate city. Roman looked at all the crumbling buildings.

They passed the main station and headed for the seafront station. Once there Neo pulled the train to a halt. The ex-members of the White Fang got off the train and started defending it from Grimm.

Once the area was cleared and the perimeter was set Roman got ready for the conference call to the Schnee company.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

James paced in front of Ozpin's desk, fuming. "If we had just sent the full amount of forces, struck hard and fast, we could have gotten them before they escaped!"

"We didn't know what we were up against." Ozpin said calmly.

"Oh, so lets just send some of your students in instead!" He snapped.

"Calm down." Glynda growled from beside Ozpin.

"He's right. I admit, it was the wrong move but we couldn't have known that at the time." Ozpin said, defending himself.

"You're the one who made that call." James growled.

"And now I will make another one. Once we track down where they have gone you can bring your full forces in because so will we." Ozpin explained, this seemed to ease James's mood a little.

"How will we find them?" He asked.

"I have all my people looking." Ozpin replied. "We will find them, we have their trail now."

James left, grumbling, still not fully satisfied.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

By the next day Ruby had regained motion in her shoulders and arms. Her hands were still a bit useless but they were recovering. She was laying still, drifting somewhere between sleep and awake, Velvet sitting next to her, reading.

The show Ruby had been not quite watching was interrupted by a news broadcast. Drawn from her sleep and curious, she attempted to turn up the volume but her hands failed her. Velvet reached over and turned the volume up to an acceptable level.

"The entire stolen train plus more stolen dust than it originally carried was returned to the Schnee Dust Company last night. It was retrieved by a man whose identity has yet to be revealed. Though the Schnee Dust Company has admitted he was rewarded handsomely for his efforts," The news anchor, Lisa, informed. Ruby smiled to herself, knowing who that man happened to be.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Not minutes after watching the broadcast Weiss and Blake's scrolls started buzzing almost non stop.

Yang looked between the two. "What is going on?"

Blake took hers out to look at it but it was frozen under the demand of buzzing for each message she was receiving. Weiss found hers in much the same condition.

It took a full ten minutes for them to stop but when they did both stared in shock.

"We just got like... seventy new member applicants for The Clan." Blake stated.

"Where did they all come from?" Yang asked, her voice hoarse.

Blake and Weiss both started opening the files and skimming them.

"White Fang." Weiss said wearily.

"They wouldn't be our first White Fang drop-outs." Blake stated.

"But this many? All at once? How can we know we can trust them?" Weiss asked.

"I think that was their sign of good will." Blake answered pointing to the now dark screen. Weiss nodded.

"So we just accept them with open arms?" Weiss asked after a moment.

"Ideally, and hopefully some of them will be willing to talk or even help out against the others." Blake replied.

\------------------------------------------------------

It was Ruby's second evening in the hospital when her scroll started buzzing, someone was calling her. Frowning Ruby picked it up.

It was Roman.

She was surprised, he never called. Worried, she answered it, she was alone after all.

"Hello?" Ruby said tentatively, watching the screen.

Roman's face appeared as the connection solidified. He was still a little fuzzy though.

"Hello Red, I've missed you." He smiled.

She smiled back. "Same to you."

"How you feeling?" He asked her.

"Better, not great but better than I was. I can move everything above my waist now." She explained.

"That's good, I was worried what she did was permanent. She was trying to kill you." He sighed.

"I know." Ruby said, also with a sigh. "So, how are you? I haven't seen you since the whole mess..."

"Trying not to be seasick." Roman shrugged.

"Seasick?" Ruby asked, confused.

"I'm on a ship." He grinned.

"Why? Where are you going?" Ruby asked, worried.

Roman turned his scroll so she could see the ship with the Schnee family logo, it was a freighter and it was loaded with the contents from the train. He turned it back and grinned. "Someone has to make sure this makes its way home safely."

"I'm glad you are taking it back." Ruby smiled.

"With a bit of a profit and a grand master plan, yes, I'm taking it back." Roman said, that mischievous look in his eyes.

"So, when will you be home?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." He admitted, frowning. "But I will make sure Neo keeps a look out for you when she can."

"I'll be fine, don't worry." Ruby assured.

"Cinder wants you dead." Roman reminded grimly. "Be careful."

Ruby nodded, trying not to seem worried.

Roman sighed, seeing someone out of her view. "I need to go. Sleep tight, Red."

"Be careful, good night." Ruby sighed.

The screen went black as he disconnected the call.

\------------------------------------------------

It was early the next morning when team WBY went to see Ozpin.

"What brings you girls to see me this early in the day?" Ozpin asked, fresh cup of coffee in hand.

"We have some information and possibly an outrageous request." Blake explained.

Ozpin motioned for her to continue.

"As you may know, Weiss and I have formed a new Faunus rights group known as The Clan. It is a friendly alternative to the White Fang. We are not only open to Faunus becoming hunters and huntresses but encourage it, to raise respect through appreciation not fear." Blake explained.

"Recently we had nearly seventy members join, thirty of them want to join Beacon." Weiss explained.

"I see, and where did all these people suddenly spring up from? I doubt you can normally have that many people join overnight, especially a small organization like yours." Ozpin asked, not being disrespectful, just curious.

"If you want to call over four hundred members world wide small." Yang noted.

"The new members are dropouts from the White Fang." Weiss explained.

"Then how can you be sure we can trust them?" Ozpin asked.

"Did you hear about the train that was recently returned to my family? That couldn't have happened without these guys." Weiss explained.

"They saw what was really going on and couldn't stand it. So when someone stood up and made a strike at the heart of the crime syndicate, they followed. Now because of their efforts and that guy's planning we are halfway to winning a war that hasn't even started yet." Blake added. "They are already on our side."

Ozpin nodded. "I will not be able to take on new students next year as I won't have the room but they are welcome to join. They will face the same screening tests as everyone else."

Blake and Weiss both smiled.

"Thank you, you won't regret this!" Blake smiled.

"Time will tell. You should get to your classes." Ozpin stated.

The girls turned and left. Ozpin smiled after they were gone, proud of them.

\----------------------------------------------

It was several days later when Ruby was released, finally able to move normally. Things had been quiet and Ruby couldn't help but feel this was the calm before the storm.

She had not heard from Roman since he called her from the ship. There had been very little crime so Cinder was busy gathering her forces, Ruby was sure. She returned to school, the year nearly over. Everyone seemed to be getting ready for a large scale battle, no one was planning on going home that summer. Ozpin and Ironwood agreed that this war would likely start soon. Because of this, the new Clan members had been allowed to start early, joining the school already.

Other Hunters and Huntresses had been called on from around the kingdom, helping give the students pointers for battle while they waited. Even Qrow had come in from Signal, the lessons there having been ended early.

Ruby was careful to avoid her uncle who had been put in charge of her old team, him temporarily being their leader for the duration of the coming war. Using the R from his last name made them team RWBY again.

Ruby found her team training with teams CFVY and JNPR along with some of the new faunus students.

She sparred with them for a while, finding that the dull ache she still suffered grew steadily worse as she fought. By the time the day ended she could barely see where she was going to fall into bed.

"You sure you're alright Boss? I think you were pushing it after what you've been through." Russel said, worried.

"I'm fine." Came her pillow muffled reply.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

The next day she found herself still hurting.

With permission from the professors Ruby left, skipping the day's lessons. Little did she know that Russel had gotten permission to follow her and make sure she got where she was going safely. Ruby got to the old hospital without problems, heading in and finding the same woman as always.

"Special guest for the Waiting Darkness." Ruby told her.

The woman looked at her. "What is wrong with you?"

"Problems with... a previous surgery." Ruby explained, not even sure what to call what he had done to her before. The woman nodded, getting out the hidden phone then telling Ruby which room on the second floor to go to.

Not long after Ruby had gotten on the elevator Russel walked in.

"I'm looking for someone who would have just come in, she has short red hair and purple eyes." He told her.

The woman pointed to a door at the far end of the hall. "That way."

"Thanks." Russel smiled.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Up on the second floor Ruby waited for the Doctor to come in.

"What seems to be the matter, Red?" Arvan asked as he entered the room.

"I got into a bit of a scuffle with Cinder and she... did something to the dust you put in my body." Ruby explained.

The doctor nodded, walked over and held a hand out, getting a feel for the dust's state.

He frowned. "I see, lay down, this will take a few minutes."

Ruby did as he said, he moved to stand over her and started pulling at the dust. It was uncomfortable, Ruby watching as her skin glowed.

Soon, though, the pain eased and she found herself feeling almost normal.

"There, that should do." The doc said, stepping away and grabbing a rag to wipe his sweaty face with.

"Thank you." Ruby smiled.

The doc nodded. "No problem, be careful not to let that happen again. As it is, it will not do as it should."

Ruby nodded, leaving.

As she walked back down the hall she glanced into the open door next to the elevator. It was what appeared to be Arvan's office. Inside were a hand full of monitors watching different things around the hospital.

She saw Russel in one of them.

The lettering in the corner of that screen read "Basement."

Ruby silently cursed under her breath, not even sure why he was here let alone how he got into the basement.

Hurrying down and slipping past the woman at the front she headed for the doors she had so carefully avoided for so long.

Once through them she found a large staircase that lead down into the near dark.

With a deep, steadying breath she headed down, searching the winding halls for her teammate. There were many rooms, all having different purposes but she was unable to tell what those were.

She was nearing the largest room when she finally spotted Russel, looking in the doorway and dead still.

She grabbed his arm. "We can't be down here we need to go NOW."

He was practically glued to the floor, staring into the room.

Ruby glanced in, and was chilled to the core.

Inside was what appeared to be a hunter's trophy room filled with taxidermied creatures but... all were human.

"We need to go." Ruby whispered to him.

They turned together to see Doctor Arvan standing in the hall, two of his human trophies standing to either side of him, effectively blocking their exit.

"You were warned." Arvan said, his anger turning to a smile. "You are mine now."

"Please, he didn't know, he wasn't warned, He was here for me we won't tell anyone about this please just let us go." Ruby pleaded.

Arvan started towards them. "Once you come down here, you never leave."

He took a scalpel from his pocket and pressed a hidden button on it, the small tool snapping to sword length, its razor sharp blade glinting in the low light. Ruby pushed Russel with her as she backed into the room of the dead.

The two trophies with Arvan followed him, walking on their own. With a snap of his fingers the others came to 'life' as well, grabbing at Russel and Ruby.

She took White Rose from her belt and shifted it to scythe form.

Arvan charged in at surprising speed, his golems grabbing at the two.

Ruby was afraid, they were outnumbered and there was no one who even knew where they were in order to help them. Ruby cut down two of the trophies only to have them latch onto her legs, and there were still more grabbing at her. Arvan stopped next to her, blade raised high and crazed look in his eyes.

Suddenly his arms slackened and his face contorted in pain, blood bubbling up from his mouth.

The doctor fell away to reveal Emerald and her bloodied blades.

"You looked like you needed help." Emerald said coldly, watching as the golems froze in place.

"Yes... thank you." Ruby breathed. "Why are you here?"

"Somehow this madman got his hands on Mercury's body and I wasn't letting him turn my friend into a who knows what... Seeing these things, I'm glad I came." She answered.

"Kill... them..." The dying man said from the floor.

The trophies sprung to life again. Ruby, Russel and Emerald fought them off, it was a losing battle though, the things didn't seem to understand pain.

Russel scooped up a hand written journal on his way past a desk as they desperately tried to find a door.

They managed to get themselves inline with the doors again, only to find them blocked. Mercury stood between them and their escape. Emerald froze. Knowing he wasn't really alive and yet unable to stop from hoping.

Mercury grinned, a dark, emptiness in his glassy eyes. The smile only made him creepy. He charged them suddenly, crazed grin painted in place.

Emerald was frozen in place, unable to even scream and Ruby thought they were done for for sure when she heard a familiar sound.

A whistling.

There was a bright and colorful blast that exploded against Mercury's back, sending him flying past.

Roman stood in the doorway. "Come on!"

Ruby grabbed Russel and Emerald by the arms and rushed for the door.

"Mercury!" Emerald cried as they passed Roman.

"Will get the burial of kings." Roman replied, placing a special round in his weapon then firing into the room.

When this one exploded it had far more impact, shaking the foundation of the building. The entire room was ignited in bright orange flames that refused to die down.

The trophies made inhuman screaming sounds.

Roman turned and ran, leading the other three out, the fire alarm had already cleared the building and they managed to slip away during the chaos. Standing out in the parking lot, away from the rest of the frightened crowd Roman sighed.

"Everyone alright?" He asked.

"I think so..." Russel painted.

"Yeah..." Emerald answered distractedly.

"Now, yes." Ruby sighed, still trying to catch her breath, the entire thing had been terrifying.

Emerald turned and left without a word.

None of them stopped her.

"Here." Russel said, handing Roman the journal he had recovered.

"That could be useful." Roman noted, placing the book into his inside pocket of his jacket.

"I thought you were still in Atlas?" Ruby asked, confused.

"Flew in first thing this morning." Roman explained.

"Oh." Ruby nodded.


	8. Call to arms

Ruby hadn't seen Roman since they had parted ways in the hospital parking lot but that day had left her with too much to think about. She was walking through the courtyard and watching others spar and study, hunters, students, faunus, humans. She was glad to see the wide mix of people working together even if it was in the shadow of bad events.

Ruby sat next to a tree, opening her notes and taking out her scroll. Hiding the scroll with the book she messaged Roman.

_Hey, I miss you, no classes tomorrow can I come by tonight?_

_I don't see why not, I've missed you too. I can have dinner here by 7?_

_Sounds good, I'll see you then!_

Smiling she put her scroll away and started reading.

"You sure you want me to tell her my opinion?" Ruby heard Ozpin ask someone. She glanced up to see him talking to Weiss, who nodded.

"I just feel it's time." Ruby heard Yang's scratchy voice from the other direction.

"But..." Blake said unsure.

"I think Yang is right." Ozpin said, approaching the two. "You're a leader now Blake, maybe not of a team in this school but you are a leader and what you do sets the example of all those following you. Since coming to this school I've noticed many of The Clan members started wearing hats or bows to hide their ears. It's almost like they are ashamed of their heritage and I don't think that is what you stand for."

Blake looked away.

"Look, by now, everyone who knows we lead The Clan knows you are the faunus out of the two of us. There is really no point in hiding it anymore." Weiss added.

"If you're going to lead you need to be proud, to set the example for them to follow. An example they will want to follow." Ozpin added.

"It's not like any of you need to hide from bullying here. That seems to have completely stopped at this school. I think we have Red to thank for that." Weiss stated.

Blake sighed. "You're right."

Ruby glanced up to see Blake tentatively reaching up to remove her bow. The ribbon fell away to reveal her little black kitty ears. Ruby smiled and returned to her book.

She looked up again as all sounds of sparring stopped and she saw that all the other Clan members had stopped to remove hats or bows or wiggle their tails free.

"OH MY GOSH THEY ARE ALL SO CUTE WHEN DID THEY JOIN?" Nora squealed, which, inadvertently cause many of them to jump.

Ruby chuckled.

"She's right, they are cute." Yang said hoarsely, reaching up to stroke Blake's ears.

"I guess..." Blake admitted, blushing.

\--------------------------------------------

Later that evening Ruby informed her team where she was going and that if she came back it would be very late. None of them minded.

"Tell him I said thanks again for saving us." Russel chuckled awkwardly.

Ruby nodded and headed out, getting on her motorcycle and driving into town.

\----------------------------------------------

Cinder and Emerald where sitting on the roof of a building, discussing plans when Cinder noticed a familiar red motorcycle on the road below. Emerald looked over the edge of the roof too, seeing the motorcycle arrive at the block and start down the street.

Cinder held a hand toward the driver and then clenched her fist, twisting her wrist. They watched as the driver seized, losing balance and rolling with the bike.

"Was that necessary?" Emerald asked coldly.

"Yes." Cinder hissed, satisfied.

\------------------------------------------------

Ruby felt her muscles go warm but it wasn't enough warning for her to stop the bike, her body froze, refusing to answer her panicked call as she lost control, the motorcycle swerved and suddenly she was rolling.

When the rolling finally stopped she found herself in great pain and not healing. She couldn't move, watching the gas drip out of her twisted motorcycle and feeling her own lifeblood escaping. It was difficult to breath and she realized she may be doomed to die here.

Her blood pooled around her as she watched, mixing with the gas from the bike. She was unable to tell the passing of time, only knowing pain and the crushing realization that she was going to die.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Roman glanced at the clock, knowing Ruby should have been there already.

Worriedly he glanced at his scroll, her last message was timestamped at thirty minutes ago, she most surely should have been there by now. Roman got up and grabbed his coat, heading for his car.

\------------------------------------------------------

As darkness finally started tugging at her at the edges of her consciousness Ruby saw a car pull up near her motorcycle. The white wall tires looked so familiar…

Her world was going dark.

Her pain was beginning to fade.

Then, somewhere in the distance she heard a voice.

"Come on, Red... Don't leave me. Damn it, Ruby!" Roman called out to her.

She latched on to that voice, that familiar thing. Her vision was blurred but Roman was there, kneeling in the puddle of blood and gas, his hand on her shoulder and watching her closely, afraid to move her.

She tried to offer him a smile but wasn't sure she succeed as everything went black again.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Ruby woke to the rhythmic sound of a heart monitor, she opened her eyes and realized she was in Doctor Arvan's hospital.

"But... Arvan's dead..." She grumbled to herself, confused.

"Yes he is. I'm glad you're awake." Came an unfamiliar voice.

Ruby looked over towards the foot of the bed to see a man with a clipboard scribbling things down. He was dressed like a doctor and wore rectangular glasses that reminded her of Glynda. He had neatly kept short brown hair and white rat ears. He looked like a younger, less crazy version of Arvan.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked.

"Doctor Baltas, the late Dr Arvan's nephew. I inherited this place from him. Along with all his patents. You included, Miss Rosewick." Baltas explained.

"I see... I'm sorry about your uncle." Ruby said sadly, trying not to let the thought of the dead doc make her shiver.

"It is quite alright. I worked for him for years and avoided that basement. To be honest I'm glad you went down there and put an end to the madman. I'm appalled to know what he was doing down there... I am sorry for whatever horrors you had to suffer that day." Baltas said apologetically. He had a very professional manner to him.

Ruby shrugged. "I'm fine..."

She realized she could move and pushed herself up to a sitting position, her body was aching but unharmed.

"How do you feel?" He asked, watching her closely.

"A little sore but I'm fine... How long was I out?" Ruby asked, figuring it had to have been a while.

"About nine hours." He answered.

"Really?" She was a bit shocked.

"Yes, I think I know why." Rather than wait for her to ask he started explaining. "See, my uncle had left some notes about you, and with the notes recovered from his... lab... I was able to piece together his little puzzle. After the one named Cinder changed the coding of the dust in your body he had to fix it. He made it to where if it was tampered with again there was a code phrase that could be spoken to reactivate it's original purpose. Even with that, though, it takes a while to fully reset. Once it does it isn't as fast acting as it was originally but it is close. However speaking the phrase will be enough to keep you alive as we discovered last night."

"What is the phrase?" She asked.

"Don't leave me.'" He answered.

"Oh." She said, remembering Roman saying that.

"It can be activated by you or someone near you. They have to be close to you though, within a foot or so." Baltas explained.

Ruby nodded.

"However, exposed to Cinder's powers too long could cause irreversible damage so I suggest avoiding her at all costs." Baltas warned.

Again Ruby nodded. "Is that all it said?"

"I'm afraid it is, the last sentence midway though ended abruptly. I assume that is when he saw you on the security monitor." He explained.

"Oh..." She sighed.

Baltas gave a small smile and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "I think you will be fine to leave in an hour or so. I just want to make sure you have fully recovered."

"Alright, thank you. Oh, where is Roman?" Ruby asked.

Baltas shrugged. "He asked me to apologize for his absence in his absence if he was not here when you woke. He was on his scroll with important sounding calls so I assume there was some matter needing attending."

It took Ruby just a moment to process that sentence due to the way he had said it.

"Oh.."

The doctor glanced at his watch, wiggling his ears as he did so. "I will return to check on you soon." He said setting the clipboard down, without another word he left the room.

Ruby sighed, leaning back and trying to relax a bit.

While waiting she decided to call Roman.

He answered, smiling at her.

"I'm glad you're okay." He said, looking relieved.

"Yeah, I'm not allowed to leave just yet but even the soreness is fading now." Ruby explained.

Roman nodded. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, It felt like Cinder had me again, but only for a few seconds. I was paralyzed. Because of that I wrecked..." She explained, only now remembering her totaled motorcycle.

Roman smiled warmly. "Don't worry, all that matters is that you are alive and well."

She nodded. "Where are you?"

"Taking care of some very important and delicate matters... I probably won't be able to see you for a few days." He explained, not seeming too happy about not seeing her.

"I see... I love you." She smiled.

"I love you too, try to be more careful alright?" He asked.

"I will." She promised but she wasn't sure she could keep it.

"Good, I'll see you soon I hope, for now I need to go." He said, sighing.

"Alright. Good luck with whatever you're doing." She smiled.

"Thanks." He smiled back. The screen went black as he closed the connection.

Ruby sighed, missing him and scared of what the future held for them. For what Cinder had in store for them. She jumped as the door opened and Doctor Baltas stepped in.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked her.

"Much better actually, the soreness is nearly gone now." She explained.

"Good." He nodded as he stepped next to her and looked up at the monitors. With a satisfied nod he started shutting them off and removing the sensors from her.

"I think you are safe to return home. If you feel changes you come back letting me know right away." He said, again his sentence took a minute to understand.

"I will." Ruby promised.

He finished with the sensors and pointed to the bed next to hers.

"Your things are all there, I think you know your way out." He informed her.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Good meeting you, hopefully it will be better circumstances next we meet." He said, turning to leave.

"Same to you." Ruby said, getting up.

Baltas paused, turning to face her again. "Oh..."

"Yes?" Ruby asked.

"There... Was an older note in your file, I am unsure my uncle told you." He explained.

"What was it?" She asked, tilting her head.

"It was when he healed you with his Dust technique, getting you back to your natural state, he realized you were infertile." Baltas said, reserved.

"Wait... what?" She asked, confused.

"You cannot bear children, it's impossible for you do to." He clarified.

"Oh..." She sighed. "I see."

She was sad about that but pushed the matter aside, she didn't have time to worry about it right now. Once she was down stairs again she headed for the door. The woman at the desk stopped her, holding up a set of keys with a note. Ruby took them, pausing to read the note.

_Red, just to be on the safe side I have gotten you a new car. It is nondescript so hopefully you will be harder for our enemies to find._   
_Roman._

Ruby smiled slightly, glad he had thought to do that.

She headed out to the parking lot and found the car parked off in a lonely corner by a tree.

She got in, it was comfortable, but very plain. It was painted black and had dark tinting but was a cheap and easy to come by model that many people owned. She started it up and sighed at the sound of the less than impressive engine.

Heading for the apartment she had many different things on her mind. She knew that Cinder would be forced to make a move soon and Ruby knew she needed to be ready for anything. Once there she packed her cloak and dress, gold contacts and her real weapon.

Ruby tossed that bag into the trunk, hoping she could find a better place to hide it and have access to it. She had an idea but wasn't sure it would work. Returning to Beacon she found things about the same as she had left them, it was as if the wreck had been just a dream. She wished it had been, already missing her motorcycle.

She headed for the locker room, finding the one that had belonged to her when she had been called Ruby. She had realized she hadn't seen anyone use it in the past two years so she tried her old code to see if that would unlock and open it.

It opened, empty.

She grinned, placing her gear inside and closing it back.

That would help considerably. From there she then returned to her dorm. She opened the door to find her three teammates discussing battle tactics and how to work with other teams or without certain members. She sat on one of the bookshelves between the beds and joined in on the conversation, as if nothing had happened to her last night. No reason to worry them, she decided.

\--------------------------------------------------

Several days passed.

Ruby didn't hear from Roman, which worried her but she held faith in him. More and more Huntsmen and Huntresses showed up each day as well as more forces from Atlas. Most of those were robotic.

Battle training and anything war tactic related dominated the classes, years no longer mattered. Teams were trained to work together in larger groups under the leadership of a seasoned Huntsman. Then came the day. The day Ruby didn't feel she was ready for. That any of them were ready for.

There were multiple explosions reported on the south side of town. Simultaneously there were explosions on the north side of town. Ironwood sent his men in first as he and Ozpin had agreed. Just as his forces headed out there were more explosions, many more buildings crumbling to the ground and people were in a panic.

Those appointed set to getting people evacuated.

Even with all this though, there was no sight of Cinder or her forces.

The Huntresses and Huntsmen gathered on the cliffs facing Vale and readied for the coming battle. They formed up, teams gathering in the appointed squads. Ruby's squad consisted of, Teams CRDL, CFVY, JNPR and RWBY. With Qrow as their lead huntsmen.

Ruby had not been happy with being put to work so closely with Qrow, it was incredibly hard to keep her true identity safe when he'd been the one to train her with a scythe in the first place. Still, she had done well enough that he hadn't found her out yet.

They watched as a bullhead flew over the city at full speed, dropping something. It was a bomb. It struck the ground and erupted in blue-white light that traveled out in a tall ring. It didn't destroy any buildings but it did leave them without power in its wake. It crossed the entire city in less than two minutes, leaving everything electrical dead, including all of Ironwood's robotic forces.

The wave died out before reaching Beacon.

Ironwood cursed nearby, pitching his earpiece into the water below. He'd been cut off from the few human forces left.

"Should I go help?" Penny asked from beside him.

"Not yet..." He said, watching the city wearily.

Ozpin gave to order for the Huntsmen forces to move out.

"We are blind." Ironwood warned.

"I know, but we can't leave the city undefended." Ozpin answered him.

"We are walking into a trap, stay sharp." Qrow informed the squad. Everyone seemed ready for that. They marched into town by the road and bridge as they watched more explosions along the southern wall. Before the smoke was even clear the enemy forces were marching in. Qrow led his team to cut them off but the explosions continued down the wall and more enemies were flowing in. He was at the head of the first skirmish, taking down several White Fang before meeting the resistance of their leader.

"Adam! Stand down! You can't win!" Blake shouted at the man.

He only laughed and increased speed, pushing Qrow back. Weiss stayed at Qrow's side, not allowing any of the others to flank him. The squad held their ground, preventing the White Fang from crossing the Bridge and allowing the rest of Beacon's forces to flood into the city.

There was another explosion somewhere and the White Fang fell back from this location, retreating behind a more defendable location of a fallen building. More explosions on the northern wall allowed the White Fang to flood in from that side, successive explosions had more buildings falling, blocking roads and giving the White Fang ground to work from. After an explosion deeper in the city sirens filled the air.

The prison.

Cinder had just found herself reinforcements.

Only a couple hours into the battle Cinder's forces had already managed to lay claim to seventy percent of the city, cutting Beacon's reinforcements off. Prisoners now mixed with the White Fang, armed and standing guard along the makeshift walls of fallen buildings. Beacon's forces regrouped, reading for a full strike on the enemy.

The squads lined up, two teams in front and two behind, for each team member who fell one of those standing behind would pull the wounded one back and another would fill their position.

Ruby, Weiss, Sky and Qrow stood at the front of their squad. Everyone charged at the signal. They were met with heavy resistance. Ruby silently cursed the less than satisfactory weapon she wielded, wishing she had Crescent Spirit in hand instead.

She was doing rather well, they were nearing the top of the mound of rubble when one of the prisoners ducked her swing, springing in fast and stabbing through her stomach, ripping the blades out through her side and kicking her down. She tumbled away, the dust healing her slower than she'd prefer. Nora grabbed her and drug her away, passing her to the medic team.

"That wound is fatal, move on to someone else!" A voice she didn't recognize snapped.

\------------------------------------------------

Yatsuhashi stepped in to fill Red's place.

The man who had brought Red down sprung for Weiss, who was battling someone else. The man was surprised when Sky stepped in to block his path. Sky swung at the man but was at a disadvantage with the longer weapon. The man was inside of Sky's reach, making it difficult for him to do much more than block. The man got Sky off balance, causing him to stumble back. The man laughed at him, slipped past, and struck at Weiss. She was faster, blocking his strike and pushing him away.

She quickly had to turn her attention to another attacker. Irritated, the man sprung back to his feet, attacking again, this time managing to get closer. Sky stepped in at the last minute, unable to do anything but take the hit in her place.

"Sky!" Weiss screamed. The woman she had been battling landed a good hit on her in her distraction. The two were pulled away. Weiss clung to Sky as she realized the damage would be impossible to fix in time.

"Please, no..." Weiss sobbed.

"I'm... fine..." Sky choked, blood spilling from his mouth.

"No..." Weiss sobbed.

"Don't... give... up..." Sky wheezed, barely managing the sentence before the light faded from his eyes and his breathing rattled to a stop.

"Not again... NOOOOOOOOOO!" Weiss wailed.

\---------------------------------------------------

Ruby heard Weiss scream from the other side of the medical camp she was sneaking out of.

Ruby took a deep breath, trying not to think about who may have just died. She slipped away, finding a good place for her Plan B.

"Hello Ruby." Ironwood said, startling her.

She spun to face him, wide eyed. "You must be mistaken."

"No, I know the truth about you Ruby, I know that is why you are on your feet rather than dead at the medical camp. But I have to ask, what are you doing?" He asked her.

She gave him a puzzled look then shrugged. "This."

She got out her scroll and typed in the code to send her locker to her. The rocket powered locker landed and opened, showing her gear.

"The ghost of Ruby is taking to the battlefield?" He asked her. She nodded, turning to grab her things. Ironwood smiled. "Good. I have something important to tell you Ruby. Due to the things you have done, the sacrifices you have made, for this battle at least I am making you my Lieutenant. My men will answer to you on the battle field. Penny included, she will be your second in command."

Ruby nodded again, not questioning him at the moment, she didn't have time. Ironwood wished her luck and returned to his work. Ruby changed quickly and used her semblance to return to the battle. She got there to see one of the prisoners raising an axe high as he stood over Yang, who was stunned on the ground.

Everyone else was tangled in their own battles. Ruby shot behind her, using the recoil to add to her momentum. Just as the axe was about to come crashing down Crescent Spirit caught it and it's wielder, chopping both in half with the added gunfire. Yang watched in amazement as her dead sister saved her life. Ruby paused there, standing on the high ground, letting the allies see her.

She rose her weapon high. "For honor, for glory, FOR VALE!"

Everyone cheered, and began fighting with a new vigor. That done and out of the way Ruby charged headlong into the enemy lines. Without worry of hitting her own forces she cut loose, taking down enemies like a whirlwind. It wasn't long before she noticed someone helping but keeping a safe distance.

Penny.

Working with just her they cut a bloody swath through the White Fang, Prisoners and other criminals working for Cinder.

Bullheads showed up in the air from the direction of the coast. At first Ruby thought they would be a problem then she realized they were dropping explosives on the enemy, cutting chunks out of their line. Several others arrived at allied lines, dropping supplies and ammo.

Ruby spotted Roman in one of those aircraft.

As the bullheads turned to make another pass she saw they all had Roman's emblem painted on them. She returned her attention to the chaos around her. The enemy was panicking, any semblance of order lost and the allies were pushing in, cutting through the White Fang and prisoner forces.

"We should strike at the leaders before they can retreat!" Penny called.

Ruby nodded. "Lets go, watch my back!"

"Yes, sir!" Penny agreed, following Ruby's charge.

They cut past the few last groups that had their heels dug in, they didn't last long though. Ruby charged up the demolished building, seeing her target in sight as Cinder barked orders.

Cinder spotted them, threw a fireball their way and shouted to someone. "Kill them!"

"No." Came the cold reply.

Ruby and Penny dodged the fiery missile and charged in, seeing Emerald and Cinder in a stand off. Adam stood to the side, watching them.

Cinder snarled. "Traitor!"

"The traitor is the one who let Mercury die!" Emerald screamed at her, charging in to attack. Emerald swung to strike Cinder, she rolled under the attack, coming up to her feet in range of Ruby's scythe. Ruby swung at the woman without hesitation.

Cinder raised her dust blades in just enough time to stop the blade from cutting her in two and rolled away again. Adam charged at Emerald, firing his weapon at her. The hilt of his blade struck her as a loud whistle cut the air. Before Adam could charge in, take the blade and cut Emerald down he was sent flying by an explosion.

Roman dropped down from one of his Bullheads, landing in front of Emerald. Ruby didn't have time to be glad he was there or even pay attention to their battle. Cinder rolled to her feet, sending a row of glass shards at Ruby. She knocked them away with her scythe, firing at Cinder.

The woman stopped the bullets with her hands, deflecting them. Penny kept the rest of Cinder's forces busy, not letting them up the mound of rubble to join their leaders in the fight.

Ruby used her semblance to get behind Cinder, shooting her in the back to send her flying face first to the ground.

Cinder hissed, hurt. She got to her feet, causing the ground under Ruby to explode.

Ruby rolled with the momentum, letting the dust heal her. She knew she couldn't let Cinder grab her dust again.

"Never pegged you as one to play dirty!" Cinder growled, throwing another fireball. Ruby ignored the remark, jumping out of the fireball's path.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Adam charged at Roman, swinging his blade at him. Roman waited for the last moment to dodge, Emerald was behind him and she fired at Adam who was committed to his momentum, he couldn't stop or dodge.

When he took the hit it cracked his mask and sent him flying back, rolling down the hill. Roman followed that with several more shots. The whistle-boom, whistle-boom of his weapon filled the air.

The smoke cleared, Roman and Emerald looked to see Adam laying motionless, bloodied and covered in rubble.

\---------------------------------------------------------

Ruby dodged yet another fireball, she was a bit surprised. Cinder hadn't tried to use her dust against her yet. She rolled to her feet, firing several rounds at Cinder.

Cinder deflected those, laughing at Ruby. "You will never win."

She sent another fireball, followed by a volley of glass. Ruby dodged and blocked those strikes, taking one hit from the glass on her arm.

"At least I can have children.. unlike you. You're quite useless." Cinder taunted. Ruby narrowed her eyes, glaring at Cinder. The woman laughed at her as her dust bow formed and she drew the arrows back.

Ruby waited for her to shoot then dodged, hitting the ground in a charge.

She used her semblance, moving too fast for Cinder to get out of the way. She blocked the blade with her bow but was still caught in the momentum. Ruby pinned her to a slab of concrete, glaring at her while switching to her stronger rounds.

Cinder realized she was trapped and the scythe was already cutting through her bow.

"Wait! Ruby, don't do this." Cinder begged. "I'm your mother... It's me.. Summer."

"No, you're not. Even if you were, you aren't now." Ruby growled.

Cinder hissed and tried to focus on Ruby's dust, using her semblance so much already made it a strain. Ruby fired Crescent Spirit.

Blood showered Ruby as her blade sliced through the woman and the concrete behind her. Ruby stood silent and cold, not looking at the body as it slid to the ground.

The White Fang lost morale completely, breaking ranks and running.

The Lieutenant of the White Fang retrieved Adam from the rubble and left.

Roman Rested a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Let's go."

Ruby nodded numbly.

They climbed into one of his Bullheads, she watched as the battle field fell away, the damage to the rest of the city was bad but nothing that couldn't be repaired.

Emerald wandered away, vanishing into the chaos.


	9. Shady Heroes

Roman waited for the door to close to explain what had been going on to Ruby. She looked lost in thought though, he again rested a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? We won!" Roman asked, trying to get her to cheer up.

"Was she telling the truth? Was she really Summer Rose? My mom..." Ruby asked, conflicted.

Roman turned her to face him, to look him in the eyes. "Stop."

She blinked at him in confusion.

"That kind of talk just leads to madness. So stop, let it go. Cinder was the manipulative type, she would say anything if she thought it would make you do what she wanted. We may never know the truth. Just let go of what you can't change." Roman said firmly.

"But why? Why that out of all the things she could have said..." Ruby sighed.

"Because she knew it would get to you." Roman explained. "Do not let her haunt you."

Ruby sighed, leaning on him. He was right.

He hugged her tight. "Now, would you like to know what I have been up to lately?"

"Yeah... Like, how did you get all these Bullheads with your symbol?" She asked.

"Well, you see. I took all that dust back to the Schnee family company and, I'm not sure what Weiss has against her father, I rather liked the man. Anyway he was grateful for my good deed and put in a good word for us. I told everyone that I have been working undercover for years as a freelance investigator whose main goal was to bring Cinder down and end her long running spree of evil. I told them that you are my partner and who you really are and why we needed to protect you." He explained, grinning like a wolf.

"So... You just cleared our names?" Ruby asked, looking up at him.

"Basically, yes. Because of our heroism we have both been given places of honor, you have the temporary title of Lieutenant though it is possible to make it permanent if you wish to keep it and I am now a Liaison." Roman went on.

"So that's how Ironwood knew..." Ruby realized.

"Yes, I was talking to him the other day, I offered to help so he told me to do whatever I could, I'm pretty sure that was good." Roman grinned.

"Yeah, those bombs did a lot to demoralize the enemy." Ruby nodded.

"The supplies to the allies couldn't have hurt." He laughed.

"So, what is the plan now?" Ruby asked.

"We leave for Atlas with Ironwood the day after tomorrow. Sometime after that our identities will be revealed to the public." Roman explained.

Ruby started laughing, hysterical.

Roman frowned, holding her. "Did you just snap on me?"

"No it's just... After everything we've been through, I mean, I was just a student at Beacon! Then somehow I end up dating my own enemy, falling in love with him, faking my death to be with him only for him to suddenly become a good guy." Ruby laughed. "It's insane, I must have gone insane."

Roman started laughing. "Life is insane."

She finally managed to get herself under control and smiled up at him. "I think I owe you a kiss."

He grinned. "I think you're right."

When the kiss ended Roman dug in his pocket. "Also, I wanted to ask you something."

He pulled his lighter out of his pocked and frowned at it. "Not that..."

Searching his pocket again he produced a small box, opening it it held a ring.

"Marry me?" He asked, smiling warmly.

She looked between the ring and him, stunned. Slowly she grinned as she realized he was serious.

"Of course!" She squeaked before kissing him again.

\-------------------------------------------------

It was the day after the battle, everyone was either resting or in the hospital. There had been very few casualties on the Beacon side and only one had really meant anything to Weiss.

Sky was gone.

Weiss wandered toward the air dock. Her arm had been wounded in the battle and was now heavily bandaged but she had been allowed to return to Beacon. Tears filled her eyes. Everyone she loved ended up dead, and now Red wasn't even around to yell at her for it. She'd seen what had happened to him, there was no way he could have survived even though he hadn't been found yet. Nothing mattered to Weiss now, not her reason for joining Beacon, none of it. Not if she was cursed this way.

She knew Blake and Yang would be fine without her. Her father had Winter to inherit the company. She saw no reason in living anymore. She glanced up as she neared the air docks, there was someone walking toward the school who had just been dropped off.

Weiss froze in place. It was Red.

Red saw her, saw the sadness in her face and walked over. Weiss stammered over several different things to say at once then fell silent. Red gave her a tight, warm hug.

A familiar hug.

Ruby.

"Don't give up Weiss. You are still needed, still loved. It wasn't your fault." Ruby said softly, using her own voice.

She then stepped back and smiled at the shocked heiress then continued on into Beacon campus. Weiss slowly covered her mouth, not sure what had just happened. Tears rolled down her cheeks and her knees failed her, leaving her to sink to the ground and cry.

You are needed. She couldn't abandon everyone. Even with the pain. She wondered if that had been Red's ghost, if so why had he sounded and hugged like Ruby? Could ghosts hug? Or was he Ruby all along. She froze, thinking about that.

Could it be possible?

\----------------------------------------------------

Ruby made her way to her team's dorm.

Russel and Dove were sitting together, talking quietly when she came in. They looked up, both seeming relieved to see her, but that look turned to one of dread as they looked to each other.

"I'll do it..." Russel sighed. "Boss, it's Sky..."

"I know." She cut him off, not wanting him to say it out loud. "I wish I could have been there to stop it but..."

"No, you got hurt, and that was your chance. You changed the tide of the battle, you are the reason we won. It's not your fault." Russel argued.

"He's right, we would probably all have ended up dead had you not taken that risk, charged in and ended that battle." Dove interjected.

Ruby sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Now Boss, there is this one problem. All of our squad saw you take that hit and a normal person couldn't survive that. Qrow said you'd be dead." Russel explained.

"So everyone thinks I'm dead. Again." Ruby sighed.

"Afraid so." Dove nodded.

"Oh, well... I have things I have to take care of anyway. I'm going to Atlas tomorrow, I don't know what happens after that." She told them.

Both got up and walked over, hugging her. "Good luck."

"Thanks, you two be careful." Ruby smiled, she left, quiet.

The boys went back to what they had been doing. The only surviving members of team CRDL.

\-------------------------------------------------

Ruby made her next stop, team WBY's room.

Inside she found Yang sleeping alone. Blake having been sent to do something earlier and Weiss not having returned yet. Ruby slipped in, took off the eye patch and removed the contacts before sitting on the bed next to Yang.

Yang stirred. "Ruby...?"

"Yep." Ruby said in a cheerful tone.

Yang jumped, eyes snapping open. They stared at each other a long moment.

"You're...?" Yang asked hoarsely.

"Alive." Ruby nodded.

"Red..." Yang noted, looking hat her hair and making the connection.

"Yep." Ruby confirmed again.

Tears filled Yang's eyes. "How could you? All this time."

"You guys made it clear you didn't want me around anymore. I was already in a bad way... I needed you guys and you turned on me. What did you expect?" Ruby asked, trying to keep her anger out of her voice.

Guilt filled Yang's eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Ruby hugged her. "I forgive you."

Yang hugged her back, crushingly tight and sobbed for a few minutes.

Ruby finally managed to pull away, she got a good look at the scars on Yang's throat as she did so. She rested her hand there, giving Yang a sad look.

"I never intended for you to do this to yourself." Ruby sighed.

Yang rested her hand over Ruby's. "Don't worry about it. I made that Grimm suffer."

Ruby nodded, pulling her hand away. "Still, I didn't think you guys would take it so hard."

"Ruby. Even though we were mad and deceived, we still loved you. Your death hurt all of us deeply." Yang said, her voice getting scratchier. She reached over to the table by the bed and grabbed the glass of water there.

"I'm going to marry Roman Torchwick." Ruby blurted suddenly, awkwardly.

Yang choked on her water, blinked at Ruby then threw the remainder of the glass on her. "You're insane!"

"He's a good man." Ruby insisted.

"Define good!" Yang snapped.

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "He was there for me when the rest of you turned on me."

Yang's shoulders slumped.

"He is the reason I am still alive, he is the reason I was able to beat Cinder. He is the reason I was able to come back and tell you the truth." Ruby snapped.

"I'm sorry." Yang apologized. Ruby relaxed, letting the matter go with a huff. "I just... Isn't he a bit old for you?" Yang asked, worried.

"Only four years older." Ruby explained.

Yang hugged her. "Okay, I can't help but be worried. Congrats, sis."

"Thanks." Ruby smiled, hugging her sister back again.

"So what now?" Yang asked.

"Now me and Roman are going to Atlas. I don't know what the plan is from there but please, promise me you will keep me being alive a secret? Don't tell even Blake or Weiss, please?" Ruby asked.

"I promise." Yang smiled.

"Thank you, I have to go." Ruby said, hugging her sister once more.

Then Ruby turned to leave and Yang laid down to go back to her nap.

\-------------------------------------------------

Ruby went to Ozpin's office next. He wasn't in but she figured he'd check in soon, it was getting late and much had happened. It gave her a chance to switch the hoodie for her cloak.

She was staring out the window when the door opened.

"I don't know who you are but this isn't funny." Ozpin snapped.

Ruby smiled, turning to face him. She had not worn the wig so her bright red hair was visible, she had removed all contacts so her gray eyes could be seen. She wore her cloak and boyish clothes, it was easy to tell that she and Red where the same person.

Ozpin dropped his coffee mug, the sound of it shattering caused Ruby to flinch. He didn't say a word, just walked over and wrapped his arms around her in a crushing hug.

"It's good to see you, too." Ruby said, struggling to breath.

"You're alive." he stated, letting her go.

"Yeah..." she said, rubbing her head.

"How?" He asked.

"It's a long story." She chuckled. "So, you're not angry?"

"No. I'm glad you are alive, however that might be." He smiled.

Ruby relaxed, just as she was about to say more the door opened and Glynda walked in.

The papers and reports she had been carrying hit the floor next to the coffee.

"Hi." Ruby offered, waving.

Glynda walked over, a stern look on her face and Ruby was sure she was about to get a taste of that riding crop. Glynda grabbed Ruby, pulling her into a hug.

Ruby only blinked in confusion.

"I don't know how you pulled it off. I'm not sure I want to. But I am glad you are alright." Glynda said, letting go.

Ruby smiled at both of them. "Thank you."

"I can't believe I didn't realize sooner." Ozpin said, running one of his hands through his hair to hold his head.

"I worked really hard to keep that from happening." She explained.

"Why fake your death, though? I know things were a bit rough thanks to Cardin and Weiss but... such an extreme." Ozpin asked.

"It... It seemed like the best option. Besides, after what happened to David Winchester I figured it was best to just vanish." Ruby sighed.

"So... that really was you." Glynda sighed.

"Afraid so, if it makes any difference he was doing bad things with his companies rounds and tried to kill the person who helped during the war." Ruby explained.

"And who might that be?" Ozpin asked.

"I... can't tell you right now." Ruby admitted sadly.

Ozpin nodded, letting the matter go.

"So, if you're really Red then, how did you survive that strike that sent you off the battlefield?" Glynda asked.

"That is something I'm not even fully sure I understand. See... I have this special Dust in my body... It heals me, that is why I was able to change gear and return to the fight." Ruby explained.

"I see. You didn't have that before." Glynda noted.

"It kinda happened along the way after I faked my death." She explained.

"What will you do now?" Ozpin asked.

"For the moment, I'm going to Atlas. I don't know what all is going to happen so I'd really appreciate it if you guys kept the truth about me a secret." Ruby told them.

"I don't see a problem." Ozpin smiled.

Ruby smiled. "Thanks. I have to go, we leave tomorrow and I need to get some sleep."

Both professors hugged her again before she left.

\-------------------------------------

Ruby returned to the apartment, glad it had been far enough north and east of the battle to have been unharmed. However, she got there to find Roman packing.

"So, are we moving to Atlas?" Ruby asked, not really liking the idea.

"No, I got us a new place, it should be set up for us by the time we get back, I just prefer to pack my things myself." Roman smiled.

"Oh." She grinned and started helping. He really didn't have a whole lot but what he did have was either delicate or sentimental so she could understand why he wanted to ensure it was taken care of.

The next morning they met with General Ironwood and boarded one of his ships.

The flight to Atlas wasn't near as long as the sea voyage Roman had taken the first time.

Ruby was excited to be on a ship of that size, going out of the kingdom to another. She bounced about, checking out the ship wherever she was allowed. She was surprised to find out that she had clearance to the entire ship. Sure that had to be a mistake she headed off to find the General.

"Um... Am I supposed to be able to get all over the ship? I mean, it's a military ship right? It's supposed to have restricted areas, isn't it?" Ruby asked.

Ironwood looked up at her, chuckling. "Did you forget?"

"Forget what?" She asked.

"You're my Lieutenant." He reminded.

"Oh... I thought... Oh yeah..." Ruby mumbled.

"If you do not wish to keep the rank I will understand but I will also be a bit disappointed."

"Well... Will I get to finish school? I mean... I've always wanted to be a Huntress." Ruby said, feeling awkward.

"I don't see why not. We are now in a new time of peace thanks to you. I figure you would want to be on standing leave, only coming back if we have trouble knocking again." Ironwood explained.

"Oh, well in that case sure, I'll keep it." Ruby smiled.

"Wonderful." Ironwood nodded.

"Oh, hi Ruby." Penny smiled.

"Hi Penny." Ruby smiled.

Penny turned to Ironwood. "The captain asked me to let you know there is a storm so we are going to go around behind it."

Ironwood nodded. "Very well."

Penny turned to leave again, likely to tell the captain of the general's approval.

"Well, I'll let you get back to what you were doing." Ruby smiled awkwardly, following Penny out.

"Are you finding everything to your liking Lieutenant?" Penny asked as they walked down the hall together.

"Yeah, and um... You can just call me Ruby." Ruby said, still feeling awkward being called by rank.

"Alright Ruby, we are friends after all." Penny smiled.

\---------------------------------------

Emerald walked with a cold, bitter air to her. She stalked past the ex White Fang members who had stayed with Neo, none of them wore masks now, they worked as her higher ranking henchmen.

She got to Neo's office, passing the guards and opening the door. Inside Neo sat, leaned back in her chair, feet on the desk, laptop in her lap and headphones on. She was enjoying some ice cream and fully absorbed in whatever she was watching.

Emerald stood silently, watching Neo blush.

She cleared her throat, then again louder when Neo didn't notice her. Finally the heterochromian girl took note of the cold girl standing in the room with her. Neo paused whatever it was she was watching and closed her laptop, taking off her headphones and setting the items aside, dropping her feet to the floor and leaning on the desk.

"What can I do for you, you lovely mysterious wonder?" Neo asked smoothly.

"I've come to join you." Emerald said coldly.

"Join me how?" Neo asked flirtatiously. "There is still an empty place in my bed."

Emerald scowled at her. "Not like that, not now, not ever. Are we clear?"

Neo sat up, frowning and all warmth gone. "Crystal."

"I need work, Mercury is gone but I'm still here so I may as well make myself useful." Emerald said bitterly.

Neo nodded. "I see, well, I need a second in command anyway. Still, I'm curious, why didn't you have Roro clear your name too?"

"There is too much blood on my hands to attempt a normal life. That just isn't where I belong." She answered coldly.

Again Neo nodded. "I see."

\-----------------------------------------------------

Ruby got back to her and Roman's room to find him combing his hair. She was glad his bangs had grown back out again, hiding the burned side of his face quite well.

"We will be in Atlas soon." She informed him.

"Good. You nervous, Red?" He asked her.

"Should I be?" She asked. "I mean, I'm not sure what to expect so..."

"I know, just act natural and we should be fine. Let me do most if not all the talking, we will be headed back home before you know it." He smiled.

Ruby nodded, already wanting to get home.

They arrived in Atlas less than an hour later and received a warm welcome from Weiss's father. Ruby got the feeling he wasn't the most honest man in the world but she brushed that aside.

"The preparations are already underway, are you ready?" Mr. Schnee asked.

"As we will ever be." Roman answered.

They were taken to a large news gathering, people from multiple papers and news stations were gathered in a room with a stage and barely enough seats for everyone. Ruby, Roman and General Ironwood followed Mr Schnee to a backstage room.

With a final quick rundown on how things were to go, Mr Schnee and Ironwood stepped out in front of the crowd - the live audience of all of Remnant.

Ruby got out her scroll, messaging Nora.

_Hey, do me a favor and make sure everyone is watching the news, your team and WBY kay?_

_We already are! Something big is going down._

Ruby smiled to herself and turned her attention to the matter at hand.

"Thank you all for coming. As you know there was recently a battle in Vale, a battle that was intended by our enemy to weaken the bonds of the kingdoms. To weaken the spirits of the people with fear. The attack was from a large underground crime network. Working with the White Fang they intended to destroy our time of peace, to bring chaos to Remnant." Ironwood spoke to the crowd.

Mr. Schnee spoke next as he smiled at the crowd. "Luckily the battle in Vale was the last. While these savages had been working in the shadows for years, so were a few brave souls working for all of us. While he was widely known as a criminal it was only to deepen his cover and close in on these vile people. As you all know, one of my companies' trains was recovered and returned. It was the same man. He risked his life to take back what had been stolen, to take away the enemy's arsenal and put an end to the war before it could truly start. That man is Roman Torchwick."

On cue Roman stepped out into view. Those not holding cameras applauded and cheered.

"Thanks to this man, a hero in disguise, we can all rest easy." Mr Schnee smiled.

"Thank you, though when it comes to resting easy I have to say that may only be for a while. I have spent the last half of my life trying to abolish the crime in this world and have only managed to seriously wound the dark underworld. However, that is a grave wound and it has likely granted us years of peace from them on the wider scale." Roman smiled.

"Such modesty, Mr Torchwick." Ironwood stated. "I would consider it a bit more than just a wound, you single handedly set the demise of Remnant's biggest underground crime network into motion."

"Well, I can't take all the credit." Roman said. "In recent years I realized no matter how close I got I would never bring them down without help, so, I got a partner. She was one of Beacon's most promising students, for her own protection we had to fake her death and change her identity. However, now that our job is done and the smoke has cleared I think it is time for her to return to the life she left behind."

Ruby stepped out in front of the crowd, her hood up.

"Everyone, meet Ruby Rose, known these past years as Red Rosewick." Roman smiled, holding his hand out to her.

She removed her hood, allowing everyone to see her face. No eye patch, no contacts, bright red hair visible though black roots were starting to show and she was wearing her preferred style of dress.

Again the room filled with applause and cheers.

"Thanks to the efforts of these two, Beacon, and The Clan, we found a swift victory. In recognition of their efforts Roman Torchwick is now Liaison between Kingdoms and Ruby Rose is now a Lieutenant of the Atlas Army. Please show these heroes respect accordingly." Ironwood stated, closing the speech.

\-----------------------------------------

**Meanwhile**

\-----------------------------------------

Teams WBY and JNPR sat together to watch the important news from Atlas. Weiss glared at her father as he spoke. They all stared in shock when Roman Torchwick was revealed as the one who had turned the tide in the battle.

" _Seriously?_ He was undercover?" Blake asked incredulously.

They all fell silent as he spoke, listening to his explanation. Everyone froze when he mentioned his partner and a white cloaked figure stepped onto the stage.

"Everyone, meet Ruby Rose, known these past years as Red Rosewick."

"I Kneeeeeeeeew iiiiiiiiit!" Weiss shouted, hopping to her feet and pointing at the screen as Ruby revealed her face.

"She's alive?" Blake gasped.

Yang smiled. Ren fell over and Jaune dropped his bowl of cereal in his lap. Pyrrha covered her mouth as she laughed, shocked and relieved.

Nora looked around at everyone, confused.

"I don't even know how to feel about this!" Weiss snapped, turning to Yang.

"It's a blessing, a dream come true." Yang smiled.

Weiss relaxed, nodding. "You're right."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original AN from FFN: Weeee! This chapter was fun to write! It was meant to be the last chapter but details started getting a bit long and so I actually had to make two chapters out of it.
> 
> Thanks everyone for such awesome reviews last chapter! I can't wait to hear what you have to say about this! I know some of you have been wanting to see Ruby tell Yang she was still alive or be able to come out with the truth, well, here you go!
> 
> A note on the last chapter: I apologize to those of you who felt it was rushed or to fast for the scale of it, I'm not the best a writing big battles and I will continue working at it to get better but for now I just went for clarity and simplicity so that it would be followable which I know at least one person appreciated so I'm glad for that.
> 
> Anyway, I'll quit yacking and leave ya'll to reviewing!
> 
> *whispers* One chapter left...
> 
> Editor2: Pssst that part at the end of Weiss pointing at the tv was inspired by that scene in that one episode that I forget which one where Weiss was balancing on a chair pointing at Blake. I actually took a screencap and captioned it "I KNEEEW ITT!" so I could throw it at Author whenever they wrote twists I saw coming. Then this scene happened. Yay inside jokes.


	10. Ever After

After a night in Atlas, Ruby and Roman boarded the air ship that was to take them home. Penny was there to see them off, explaining how sad she would be that it would likely be a long time before she got the chance to visit again. The trip was quiet and Ruby spent most of it leaning against Roman as he read.

"How are you going to handle your family?" Roman asked her after a while.

"I don't know... I just hope they won't be too mad." Ruby sighed.

"I hope they have realized how important you are." Roman said, almost cold.

She glanced up at him. "You think they didn't see me as important?"

"No, not with the way your sister treated you." Roman said, looking at her.

"I've already told Yang though." Ruby said, offering a smile. "She's fine with it."

Roman kissed her, then returned to his book. They were welcomed back in Vale as heroes, a huge celebration had been thrown in their honor and everyone in town was there. Even the owner of the From Dust Till Dawn shop was there offering them a warm smile and a business card. Ruby glanced at the name of the place but when she was about to ask him about it he was already replaced by other people with questions and thanks.

Ruby didn't really get to speak to anyone as she was being pulled to and fro, trading pleasantries with everyone. The party looked like it would last well into the night and it was late when Roman finally managed to extract them from it. She dozed lightly in the car as he drove, waking every few minutes when the car turned or hit a bump in the road.

She glanced out the window and realized they were long past the old neighborhood they had been living in and where on the far side of the upper-class district. Ruby sat up, fully awake and a little surprised as Roman turned the car up the hill to the largest, richest houses in Vale.

Her amazement deepened the farther up they went, coming to the top of the cliff, there were only three properties up here and one belonged to the mayor.

Roman pulled up to the one on the left, hit a button somewhere in the car and the gate swung open. Ruby watched as they pulled past the large wall to the wide open garden with winding drive and fountain. The house itself was enormous, its sprawling two stories easily took up the space of a normal city block. On the west side it had a tall tower, three stories high with a balcony roof. The huge front windows of the house glimmered in the moonlight, they ran from either side of the front door up to the roof.

As Roman pulled the car around the side of the house she saw it was just as deep as it was wide. She then turned her attention to in front of them. There was a detached oversized two car garage with an apartment on top.

The property itself spanned out into the darkness, leaving her to wonder at just how large it was. Another button had the door rolling up so Roman could park the car, the garage could easily hold four of his car in just the one side. Once the lights were on she glanced over to the other side, there, her motorcycle was parked, repaired and waiting on her.

Roman killed the engine and went around to open her door for her, taking her hand in his as they headed for the house. Back around to the front Roman opened the heavy wood and glass door. He stepped in first and flicked on the lights. The chandeliers overhead came alive, filling the grand foyer with a warm light that spilled across marble floors and danced off of expensive looking paintings. There were two staircases, one on either side of the room, leading up to the balcony of the second floor that overlooked the entry. In the middle of the room was a grand piano. There were doors to either side before the staircases and one farther in, under the balcony, more doors visible up there.

Roman led her to the room through the door under that balcony first, it was the kitchen, it looked like a larger version of the one back at the apartment, same countertops and cabinets. There was a door to the backyard from there, doors leading to dining room and sun-room which was filled with potted plants, on the right and a doorway leading to the breakfast nook and patio on the left.

He led her back and up the stairs. They went through the door in the middle of the hall, this was another hall, a door in the middle left and one opposite it, both closets, straight though was another door, this one opened into the master bedroom.

The room was massive, the bed off on the left wall was raised on dais. To the right was a large TV and doors on either side. On the far wall was the window overlooking the backyard. In it was a window seat the size of a twin bed, drawers under it, bookshelves on either side of the window.

The window itself stretched up to the ceiling, Ruby looked up and realized it was the ceiling. The domed roof was made of glass.

"One way glass." Roman noted when she looked up at it.

"I can't wait to see a storm through that..." Ruby said, mesmerized.

"So you like it?" Roman asked, smiling.

"Yeah..." Ruby answered, walking over to the window seat and climbing into the pillows to look out the window. Outside she saw the glow of a lit, in-ground swimming pool. She could also see the faint outlines of another building on the other side of the yard from the garage, there wasn't enough moon light to illuminate it though.

She was excited for sunrise to see what the whole place looked like.

Ruby turned to face Roman. "This is really ours?"

"Yep, bought and paid for, no more rent." Roman smiled, seeming quite happy with that.

Ruby smiled, that smile slowly faded though. Roman watched her, suddenly worried. "What's wrong?"

"It's just... You're sure? You want to share this with me? You want to marry me?" Ruby asked, looking back out the window.

Roman walked over, kneeling beside her. "More than anything."

She looked over at him and smiled. That smile faltered too. "Even though... we can't have any children?"

"To be quite honest Red, that is fiiiiiine with me." Roman said with a shrug.

Ruby relaxed and hugged him.

"Oh, that reminds me." Roman said, standing. "I have something for you, wait here."

Ruby sat, puzzled, watching him leave.

Roman returned a few minutes later to find Ruby looking over the options on the bookshelves.

"Get'er!" Roman said, making Ruby jump.

She looked up just in time to see a large puppy come bounding over to tackle her. It was a harlequin Great Dane, and while it may have been a puppy, it was still very large. Ruby giggled under the assault of happy puppy kisses. Roman laid on the bed then gave a short whistle. The puppy froze and with the next short whistle jumped up onto the bed next to Roman, laying down obediently.

Ruby was still giggling when she climbed up out of the floor.

"Are furry children good enough?" Roman asked.

"Yes." Ruby smiled. "Does he have a name?"

"Not yet, I decided to leave that up to you, his papers won't be finished until he has one though." Roman answered.

"Drei Xiao Rose." Ruby stated.

"I like it." Roman smiled, petting Drei.

Drei gave a soft whimper bark and whapped his tail on the bed.

The three settled in together, Drei happily keeping their feet warm, if not numb.

\---------------------------------------------

Ruby was woken early the next morning by Drei lightly but urgently nudging her foot. The sun was up, just barely, and the young dog gave her a pleading look, wagging his tail gently.

"Do you need to pee?" She asked him quietly, not wanting to disturb Roman.

Drei perked up his ears and wagged his tail a little harder.

"Okay..." Ruby sighed, slipping out of bed.

She adjusted her pj's and put on slippers, following the puppy out of the room and down the stairs. She was glad he was already trained. They got to the kitchen and Ruby heard the back door open, letting Drei out. Ruby glanced up, confused. There, closing the door she saw a Faunus woman. She was dressed like a maid, wearing white with a green apron. She was average height, a little heavier in build and easily twice Ruby's age. The woman looked over at Ruby with her bright green eyes, her blond hair neatly tied back and her blond lion ears wiggling slightly.

"Good morning, Miss Rose." The woman smiled. "I trust your first night in your new home was a restful one."

"Yeah... Not to be rude but... Who are you?" Ruby asked, rubbing her eyes and looking at the woman again, making sure she wasn't just dreaming.

"Ah, my apologies, Miss Rose. I am Taraxacom, or Tara if it pleases you Miss Rose." Tara said with a bow.

"You work for Roman?" Ruby asked.

"You and Mr. Torchwick both, yes." She nodded.

"Oh... What do you do?" Ruby asked, wandering in to sit at the island.

"Cook and clean, and any other household chore needing done. Would you like some coffee Mistress?" Tara asked her.

"Um... Is there milk?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Tara answered, waiting for Ruby to tell her what she wanted exactly.

"Just a little glass of that." Ruby yawned.

By the time Ruby had finished her long drawn out yawn there was a chilled glass of milk sitting in front of her and Tara was letting Drei back in. Drei trotted over and flopped down next to Ruby's bar stool, scooting it an inch or two. Ruby glanced down at him, he looked up at her and wagged his tail. Returning to her glass of milk and trying to wake up fully, Ruby sat quietly as Tara bustled about the kitchen, making muffins and other breakfast food.

The kitchen was smelling divine when the back door opened and a man with gazelle horns stepped through. He was tall enough that with the added inches of his horns he had to duck to clear the doorway but he did this smoothly and with little mind. He was dressed in jeans and work shirt that had grass stains but his light brown hair was neatly swept back out of his face.

He looked to easily be the same age as Tara and his blue eyes sparkled a bit whenever he looked at the woman while she cooked. He had a neatly kept goatee and when he turned to ask Tara where he could find a vase for the roses he'd brought in Ruby noticed a scar on his left cheek.

Finding the vase, he filled it with water and started trimming the roses. There was quite a variety, some were red, others yellow and some that were a pale shade of pink that turned yellow at the tips of the petals.

"So, we have our own florist?" Ruby asked, confused as she watched him work.

"Not exactly." The man chuckled then took the beautifully arranged flowers to the breakfast table. "The name is Braun and I am your grounds keeper, gardener and butler on occasion."

"Ah, I see. So Roman hired you two?" Ruby asked, a little more awake now.

"Yes, my husband here and I are live-in staff, we occupy the apartment above the garage." Tara explained as Braun left the room.

"I see." Ruby smiled.

Ruby had never had staff like this before, she felt a little weird, this was the sort of thing she guessed was normal for someone like Weiss. Braun returned and placed the newspaper at the table as well then went back outside.

Drei, apparently hearing something, sprung to his feet and ran to the doorway, Roman walking in a moment later, patting the puppy absently.

"Morning." Ruby singsonged cheerfully.

"Good morning, Mr. Torchwick." Tara said with a slight bow.

Roman waved sleepily and wandered over to the table, Ruby hopped up and followed. Breakfast consisted of Muffins, eggs and bacon, all cooked to perfection.

"I'm glad Neo recommended those two." Roman said after a while.

"Neo?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, they are ex White Fang. Neo suggested I hire them and they not only do all this but double as guards." Roman noted.

"Oh, I see. Still, it's strange having servants..." Ruby sighed.

\-------------------------------------------

Later that day Ruby took her newly repaired motorcycle and headed to Beacon. Once there she found out that graduation for the fourth years, which had been put on hold do to the foreshadow of war, was to be held the next day and mark the beginning of the short summer break. She learned this from Russel who had met her at the school parking.

Walking in, intending to go see Ozpin and find out how things would work now that everyone knew the truth, she was spotted by her old team.

Weiss stomped over, slapping Ruby across the face. "That is for tricking us."

Before Ruby could react Weiss hugged her. "And this is for being okay."

Weiss stepped back, giving an apologetic smile. "Is there any chance you will ever forgive me?"

"Weiss, I already did." Ruby said, waving the matter aside.

"Then..." Weiss started. "Will you consider... taking me back?"

Ruby glanced to Yang, who made a motion showing she had kept the secret like Ruby had asked.

"Weiss... I've already moved on. I'm with someone else.." Ruby said, trying not to sound rude or insensitive.

"Oh... I see." Weiss said, only now noticing Ruby's engagement ring. Weiss turned and walked away, Ruby let her go without protest.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine." Yang said hoarsely.

Ruby nodded but said nothing.

"I'm glad you're alright." Blake said, offering a smile.

"And a good actress." Came Qrow's voice. Ruby turned to face her uncle who hugged her. "You really had me fooled, I knew there was something off about Red, I just couldn't put my finger on it and believing you to be dead I had no reason to think it was you." Qrow chuckled. "Well played."

Ruby smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Your father is anxious to see you again." Qrow noted, letting her go.

"I wanna see him too, is he home in Patch?" Ruby asked.

Qrow nodded. "He is for now, if you're done leaving the Kingdom I can let him know where to find you."

"That might be a good idea. Oh, you might all need to know where I live now, huh?" Ruby laughed then gave them her new address.

"Wow, living it up much?" Yang chuckled.

"Yeah... Roman picked the place so I'm not gonna argue." Ruby said with a shrug.

"At least he's taking care of you, I'm still not sure about the guy." Blake admitted.

"Your father and I will both be interested in meeting your intended in person." Qrow said, almost darkly.

"Eh..." Ruby said nervously, scratching her head. "Anyway... I need to go speak with Ozpin if you guys don't mind I'll catch up with you later."

They parted ways and Ruby headed For Ozpin's office. He was there, reviewing things on his scroll.

"Hello sir." Ruby said, walking in.

"Ah, Ruby, How are you?" Ozpin asked, looking up and smiling.

"Good. I just, um, wanted to talk to you about next year." Ruby said, not sure how to put it.

"Ah, I see, yes that is a bit of a situation isn't it?" Ozpin said, leaning back in his chair.

Ruby took a seat in the chair on the other side.

"Well, you can continue leading team CRDL or you could be moved back two years and return to team RWBY. Though I'm not sure you would want to do those two years worth over again." Ozpin pondered.

"Not to mention the paperwork... Technically Red was claimed dead and so was I and... Wow." Ruby sighed.

"Even though the name changed you are still yourself and always have been. Let me worry about the paperwork." Ozpin assured.

"Okay, but... We are short a member now..." Ruby reminded sadly.

"I am aware and as it stands, Penny has asked if she could stand in. I don't have a problem with this, it will be easy for her to skip up to the fourth year, we don't usually have transfer student's that late anyway." Ozpin offered gently.

Ruby nodded. "I think that would work."

"Good, I'll see you tomorrow then." Ozpin smiled.

"Yep." Ruby smiled back.

\----------------------------------------------------

Ruby returned home later on to find Roman in the foyer talking to Doctor Baltas and two redheaded women in lab coats.

"Your sure it will work?" Roman was asking.

"Most certain. Testing is positive with ill effects at a zero." Doctor Baltas stated.

"Alright then, I guess I will see you in the morning then." Roman smiled.

"Until then." Baltas said, leaving with the twins in lab coats. All three nodded to Ruby as they passed her on their way to the door.

"What was that about?" Ruby asked once they had gone.

"Well, between some of the research we stole from Cinder and the journal we recovered from Arvan's lab, my team of scientists have been working with Doc Baltas and found a way to reverse permanent scar damage." Roman explained then pointed to his face. "They can fix this now."

"Really? Do you think they could fix Nora's memory as well? Yang's voice?" Ruby asked, hopeful.

"It's possible." Roman nodded.

\------------------------------------------------------

The next day Ruby attended the graduation, cheering on the class ahead of her. She was happy for Velvet and team CFVY. After the ceremony was through, the class being named full Hunters and Huntresses there were a few other things for Ruby to attend. Including a dance.

She returned home tired that night, she found Roman carrying on a conversation with Braun, who was a bit sheepish around Roman.

"Ah! You're back!" Roman stated when he saw Ruby.

"Did it work?" Ruby asked, guessing so.

Roman lifted his bangs for her to see, even his eye was back the way it should be, he looked as if he had never been hurt.

"I still can't see through that eye though." Roman noted.

"You look a lot more comfortable now though." Ruby smiled and Roman nodded.

"I went ahead and told the good Doc about your sister and that Nora girl, he's expecting them anytime starting tomorrow."

"Oh, that's great." Ruby grinned, hoping for the best for Nora.

\-------------------------------------------------------

The following day Ruby messaged Yang and Nora, suggesting they spend the day together and claimed to have a surprise for them. Without question both agreed. Ruby took her simple black car and picked the girls up.

"So what do you have in mind for us?" Yang asked Hoarsely.

"Oh, just something that will help you both out immensely, but you have to swear to me that you will never tell the location we are going to to anyone else. Ever." Ruby said, serious.

"Promise." Yang smiled.

"That won't be a problem..." Nora sighed.

"No. Promise me, Nora." Ruby insisted.

"I promise I won't tell a soul." Nora said, knowing she wouldn't remember it tomorrow anyway.

"Good." Ruby nodded, putting the car into gear and setting off. The hospital waited on them, cold and imposing as ever.

"This place is creepy, sis. Why are we here?" Yang asked.

"Just trust me, I owe this to both of you." Ruby explained as she got out and led them in. There was the same woman as always at the desk. This time though she held up a hand before Ruby could say anything. "You are expected. I will let the doctor know you are here, go ahead and go to the examining room."

Ruby nodded and led the girls to the elevator.

"So why are you taking us to a doctor?" Nora asked.

"This is the same hospital I took you to when you got shot. The doctor who saw you then is gone now but his nephew is even better, he found a way to help you both." Ruby explained. The doors opened and Ruby lead the girls to the right room.

"So... He can fix my memory?" Nora asked.

Ruby nodded. "We are hoping so."

"So why am I here then?" Yang asked, flinching at the pain in her throat from using her voice.

"That right there. It hurts for you to talk, we are fixing that today." Ruby explained.

"That is the intended plan, yes." Doctor Baltas stated as he entered the room and approached them. "Yang, correct? Place yourself on the table and we may begin, simple matters before complicated ones."

Yang nodded, sitting on the table and laying down. Baltas took a jar of dust from the counter and opened it, drawing the dust out, he only took a small portion and guided it precisely. The dust touched Yang's skin, making it glow, it focused closer on her throat than anywhere else. The procedure lasted only a few minutes and then the dust glow faded and Baltas stepped back.

Yang sat up, looking at her now scar-less body.

"Wow.." she noted then reached up to her throat. "It, doesn't hurt anymore."

"And you sound normal again!" Ruby said happily as she hugged Yang.

"My turn." Nora stated, seeming determined.

"Indeed it is. Please, take your place. Yours will take much longer." Baltas explained as Yang and Nora traded places. Again Baltas took from the jar, taking all of the dust this time. It took several hours as the work was far more delicate here. When he was finished he stepped back, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"I don't really feel any different." Nora said, standing.

She glanced around then suddenly flinched, grabbing her head and sinking to the floor.

"Nora!" Yang snapped as she rushed over and snarled at the doctor. "What did you do wrong?"

"Nothing, this is normal." He said with a dismissive shrug.

After a moment Nora relaxed. "I remember bits and pieces of things... Nothing is clear, though."

"It won't be, those memories are lost. Shreds of things might still be available to you but no more than that. What is important now is future life for you, remembering what is to come." Baltas explained.

"Oh." Nora said, nodding.

"Thank you, Doctor Baltas." Ruby smiled.

He nodded and took his leave, looking like he was about to drop any minute.

"Lets go get some pizza in celebration!" Yang cheered.

"Yeah!" Both the other girls said together.

\-----------------------------------------------

After Ruby left that morning Roman had headed out on the town himself and decided to walk, not completely unusual. He feared little with Neo ruling the underground and the cops all on his side, so he decided to stretch his legs and enjoy the day.

It wasn't long before he got a message on his scroll from Neo, inviting him for ice cream at her favorite shop and he promised to meet her there soon.

On his way he bumped into a particularly grumpy Weiss.

"Oh. It's you." She growled.

"Hello." Roman smiled, being irritatingly cheerful.

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "It's you that Ruby is marrying. You had better take damn good care of her or I'll-"

"You'll what?" Roman cut her off, narrowing his eyes. "You are the one who broke her heart and sent her running away. I'm the one who loved her when you refused to."

Weiss shrank back after that comment, the part that hurt the most was that it was true. Roman's ire dissipated when he saw the pain and troubled look that filled Weiss's eyes. He remembered Ruby talking about how Weiss had lost Sky, in that moment she looked very lonely and lost. Roman grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along with him. "Come along, we are going to be late."

"Late? Let me go, where are you taking me?" Weiss growled.

"You look like you are in need of a long steamy night to melt all that ice." Roman stated.

"Not with you, you creep you are-" Weiss was saying, starting to struggle but Roman cut her off.

"Eww, no, I would rather put a pencil through my eye then do that with you. You like girls though right? Come on, you need to meet someone." Roman explained.

Weiss sighed, giving up on getting away and letting Roman guide her to the little ice cream and sweets shop. It was set up like a little cafe with small tables scattered here and there and a counter at the back that was filled with all types of goodies. Roman paused to glance around, it was easy to miss Neo in here as the color scheme was similar to hers.

He finally spotted her off on the far side, looking over one of the small laminated menus.

Roman dragged Weiss over there and had her sit with them. Neo looked up from her menu and saw Weiss. "Well, I think I know what I want, and she's sweeter than anything in this shop."

Weiss glanced up at Neo, a bit surprised.

"What is an elegant princess like you doing in a quaint little place like this?" Neo asked. Weiss irritatedly pointed at Roman. Neo only then seemed to even notice Roman. "Oh, hi Roro. Is she a friend of yours?"

"Kind of, she's had a rough couple of years and is in need of some love." Roman explained.

"Well, I think I can handle that... If someone is willing to accept my healing hands." Neo purred, returning her attention to Weiss.

"Um, no, it's not like that I mean, uh..." Weiss stammered, blushing.

"Too strong?" Neo asked, leaning back into her chair. "I can turn it down a bit."

"Ah..." Weiss mumbled, a bit uncomfortable, she wasn't sure why she was having so much trouble just coldly blowing these two off and marching away. Something about this girl had her attention.

"My name is Neo, what do I call you?" Neo asked her as Roman slipped away.

"W-Weiss, Weiss Schnee." Weiss stammered.

"Ah, tell me about yourself Weiss." Neo encouraged warmly.

"Haven't you heard of me?" Weiss asked.

"Of course, but I wanna hear it all from you. Who you are, not just your reputation." Neo smiled.

"Well..." Weiss started.

Roman left the shop, wandering off to see what else there was to do today.

\-----------------------------------------------

Later that evening Ruby returned home, she had dropped Nora off with Ren who had been overjoyed to hear her memory had been fixed. Yang, however had informed Ruby that their dad was in town and Qrow was taking him to the mansion.

"Seriously?" Ruby asked as she drove.

"Yep, Uncle Qrow just messaged me saying they were on their way." Yang answered.

"Well, no time like the present I guess." Ruby sighed, stopping to pick up Blake before heading home. They got there to find Zwei and Drei playing in the yard.

"Wow, sis... Just wow..." Yang said as she saw the house. Ruby parked the car next to her motorcycle and led Yang around to the house.

"Who lives in the apartment?" Yang asked.

"Tara and Braun, they work for us." Ruby explained.

"Oh, that's cool." Yang smiled.

Ruby stopped suddenly and looked Blake in the eyes. "They are well paid and really well treated I promise."

"Wha?" Blake said, confused but then, she realized what Ruby meant.

"With you as their boss I don't doubt it." Blake smiled.

They continued into the house to see Ruby and Yang's father Taiyang with Qrow talking to to Braun who was dressed in butler attire.

"Ruby!" Taiyang said when he saw his daughter.

He wasted no time in wrapping her in a tight hug. She hugged him back, just as tight.

"I'm sorry, dad." Ruby apologized.

Both dogs came tearing through the room suddenly, startling Blake and causing her to climb on top of the piano. Roman, apparently the one to have let them in came through the door himself.

"Who does that corgi belong to?" Roman asked, only then noticing Blake, Yang and the stranger hugging Ruby and... Qrow.

"Oh, that's just Zwei." Yang answered.

Braun approached Yang. "The canine's seem to bother miss Belladonna, should I take them both out to the back yard to play?"

"Sure." Yang smiled. Braun whistled, both dogs following him out to the back. Roman glared daggers at Qrow who was staring Roman down, he knew he knew the man but couldn't place him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing in my house?" Roman snarled.

"Uh oh..." Ruby said, pulling away from her dad as all eyes turned to the situation.

"I came to visit Ruby..." Qrow explained, realizing from Roman's tone that this was not the best of situations.

"Do you even remember who I am? Hm? Do you remember my sister?" Roman demanded.

"Uh, actually no..." Qrow admitted.

"She always wore a white scarf, had long hair the same color as mine. You should remember her, you cut her in two! Or do you just kill that many teenaged girls?" Roman spat, raising his weapon.

Recognition flicked in Qrow's eyes followed by a deep regret. Ruby noticed that, having been watching her uncle closely. Roman fired, the whistle of his shot filled the large room. As with the time when Cinder had tried to kill Roman everything around Ruby went almost still. She could see the shot, crawling from the barrel of Roman's cane. Ruby moved with lightning speed, standing between her uncle and the shot.

Time resumed and her awareness filled with white pain. The next thing she knew was the cold marble floor. Roman's rage drained in sudden cold fear as he realized Ruby had gotten in the way, he watched in horror as her eyes rolled back and she sank to the floor.

Roman's voice was not alone in the cries of her name, he was however the first to her side, tears rolling down his face. "No... Why?"

She stirred, trying to get her eyes to focus.

_"I'd do it again."_ Her words echoed in his head, what she had said when Cinder had nearly killed her. He realized he wasn't the only one she would die to protect.

"At leas... listen... to... him." Ruby wheezed, finally regaining control of her voice. Taiyang pulled his daughter away from Roman who glared up at Qrow.

"You had better have a damn good explanation." Roman growled.

"Ruby... I just got you back..." Taiyang sobbed.

"I'm... fine, really." Ruby said, her breathing came easier with each breath.

"How? You've been..." It was then that her father realized she was healing right before his eyes.

"I'm fine." Ruby insisted.

"That explains a lot." Blake mumbled, watching Ruby heal.

"It was a huge mistake, your sister didn't deserve to die." Qrow stated quietly, sadly.

"Tell me something I don't already know." Roman growled.

"Your sister was wanted for the murder of your uncle and aunt, along with a string of thefts and, the alleged murder of you. I happened to be the person to take the job of finding her. She was considered highly dangerous and to be stopped at any cost. I met your sister shortly before taking the job, she actually went on the hunt with me... That is when I found out who she really was, I confronted her about it and... you know the rest. It wasn't until later that it was discovered that your uncle had killed his wife and your sister had been defending you." Qrow explained.

"How did you find that out?" Roman asked.

"Your cousin. She finally found her voice, poor kid was so little. She remembered what had happened though." Qrow said, regret and sadness tinging his voice. "I'm sorry, Roman. There isn't a day that goes by I don't regret what happened, that I wish I had tried a little harder to get her to explain. I won't fault you for hating me."

Roman glanced to Ruby then back to Qrow. "Fine. But only because of my love for Ruby. If not for her I would kill you right now."

Qrow nodded. Roman stood and pulled the now healed Ruby to her feet, hugging her tightly. When he finally let her go she noticed her shirt was a little worse for wear and she went up stairs for a new one. Everyone stood in silence while they waited. Suddenly the room filled with the smell of fresh cookies.

Tara set the platter of cookies down on the edge of the piano and slipped back into the kitchen. Blake picked one up, handed it to Yang and got one for herself. Taiyang looked up and over at Roman who was leaning on the banister, lost in thought. He turned to Qrow who looked a bit haunted.

Taiyang crossed the room, placing a hand on Roman's shoulder to get his attention.

"Swear to me that you will take good care of my daughter." He said, looking Roman in the eyes.

"I swear, till the day I die." Roman replied, looking back into Taiyang's eyes with determination meaning every word.

"Good, cause if you don't I will kill you." Taiyang promised.

Blake and Yang nodded though if it was in agreement or due to the delicious cookies was unknown. To alleviate the awkwardness Qrow left, unable to not see the past every time he saw Roman anyway. After Ruby rejoined them Braun lead them to the dining room for dinner, Tara having outdone herself.

Later that night, after everyone had parted ways, Roman led Ruby to a room she had not seen yet. Inside was two computers with huge screens, she realized that it wasn't single screens but many, nine by nine to be exact, placed together to create a massive display for each computer.

"Already completely set up and ready to go for Minecraft." Roman explained, smiling.

So their lives went on.

The following semester Ruby had Penny join her team, more in an attempt to learn how to properly work with humans and hunters than to become a huntress herself. Weiss came to understand why Ruby loved Roman, she and Neo had become inseparable which in many ways was difficult for her, nobility demanding action against Neo but her heart demanding otherwise.

Roman decided it was best for Ruby and himself to wait to marry until after she graduated.

Two years later Weiss, Blake and Yang graduated. Weiss returned to Atlas but Blake and Yang remained partners. A couple years later deciding to marry.

Neo became a far more powerful crime lord then Cinder had ever dreamed of, she was far more patient and accumulated stronger allies.

Ruby became one of the most famous huntresses alive, only rivaled by Team Bumblebee.

For that time, Remnant knew peace.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Thus ends of the path of righteousness and fortitude.**

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After all these years, after reading this fic back over again recently... I think this branch stands up. Contrary to Red Reaper I feel like I did good with this one and I'm proud of it. I won't be changing anything. It's been kind of heartening to read back through something that I wrote and actually get wrapped up in it instead of cringing. I'm still trucking away on future fics but it's a lot of work and a lot of time to catch up with. I have a lot going on IRL, so please bare with me but I'm doing my best.  
> If you've enjoyed what you've read so far why don't you...
> 
> Follow me on twitter! yep, plugging, I has one, link is on my Profile, I will post updates and other such stuff!  
> Also... if you feel like helping a pleb like me stay in equipment and out of a day job consider checking out my Patreon? Link also on my profile.
> 
> Original AN from FFN: And so it ends, neat and tidy...
> 
> Or does it?
> 
> Is it really over?
> 
> Not really but it's a good stopping place if you're sick of my words.
> 
> However, if you'd like more, there will be such!
> 
> I'm going to try and have the first chapter of the Bumblekits posted after this so if you'd like you can read that!
> 
> Thanks everyone for sticking with the story this long, I love you guys. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews and ideas, you're all great.
> 
> Also wanted to not cause I think I forgot...
> 
> Battle Corgi and Discontent Rose are both related to this fic if you'd like to read them, both oneshots.
> 
> I have a lot of stuff written and not posted, life has been hectic and I actually haven't worked on anything in months... Yeah..
> 
> As always, thanks everyone!
> 
> Credits.
> 
> RWBY: Monty Oum and Roosterteeth.
> 
> This story: Me! Werewolf714
> 
> Editor1: Friendlycurse
> 
> Editor2: Violetdragonian
> 
> Editor3: ODST110
> 
> Thanks guys.
> 
> Next in line: Bumblekits!
> 
> Editor2's note: Also Neo and Weiss getting together may or may not have been my 'suggestion' (read: demand)


End file.
